Psychology ETDs

Publication Date

2-18-1977

Abstract

Recent theories of observational learning often make a distinction between the acquisition and the performance of new behaviors, yet these theoretical models invariably develop and test hypothetical acquisition processes using performance of the modeled behaviors as the independent variable, thereby introducing uncontrolled performance variables which potentially contaminate experimental results and increase the uncertainty of the conclusions. This study employed paired-associate learning tasks using modeled discrete actions and printed words as stimuli paired with two-digit numbers as the responses which are learned. The learning tasks were presented on film. Since the learned behavioral responses were numbers, rather than modeled behaviors, variables affecting performance of modeled behaviors were eliminated. Three groups of action and word pairs were used. All actions were athletically oriented and involved a ball (e.g., throwing). The same group actions and the common words used to describe the actions were each presented 15 times and paired with identical responses. The different group actions and their word equivalents were paired with different numbers.

Degree Name

Psychology

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Psychology

First Committee Member (Chair)

Sidney Rosenblum

Second Committee Member

John R. Gluck

Third Committee Member

Joseph A. Parsons

Fourth Committee Member

Henry Carleton Ellis

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

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