Psychology ETDs

Publication Date

5-1-1972

Abstract

The effects of perceptual pretraining on preferences and concept identification performance in five and eight year old Ss were investigated. Perceptual pretraining consisted of unreinforced same-different judgments on stimuli varying on each of the five task dimensions. The results indicated that perceptual pretraining facilitated performance on a concept identification task with a nonpreferred relevant cue for the five year olds but not for the eight year olds. However, perceptual pretraining did not affect preference in either age group and Ss were as consistent in their preference responding before and after perceptual pretraining as was a control group that had not received perceptual pretraining. Also, both age groups were found to display highly consistent preferences over a one week period. A multifactor concept of preference involving choice responses and dimension usability was suggested and perceptual pretraining was interpreted to increase the usability of the less preferred dimensions for the younger Ss but not for the older ones and to leave the choice response unaltered in both groups.

Degree Name

Psychology

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Psychology

First Committee Member (Chair)

Peder Jack Johnson

Second Committee Member

Henry Carleton Ellis

Third Committee Member

Marc Hanna Irwin

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

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