Psychology ETDs

Publication Date

5-2-1973

Abstract

The acquisition, retention and transfer performance of Ss following different methods of instruction were investigated as a function or the chronological age of the learner and task difficulty. The discovery method, in which Ss learned a conceptual rule through examples and feedback, was contrasted with the verbal reception method, in which Ss were provided with a verbal statement of the rule. Forty-eight Ss selected on the basis of age, 5.5 - 7.5, 7.5 - 9.5, and 10.5 - 11.5 years old, were taught a conceptual rule by the verbal reception or discovery method. Ss learned either a conjunctive or a combined conjunctive-exclusive disjunctive rule to a criterion of 10 consecutive correct responses. The day following acquisition, Ss were given a memory probe test and relearning trials. Upon regaining criterion level performance, Ss were given successive and simultaneous transfer tests. As a final performance measure, Ss were required to verbalize the conceptual rules. The results indicated that discovery Ss took significantly longer than verbal reception Ss to reach the original learning criterion. In addition, verbal reception Ss demonstrated performance which was superior to discovery Ss on all measures of retention and transfer. Performance in original learning as well as in transfer and retention measures was a direct function of the chronological age of the learner and all indirect function of task difficulty. No interactions were found, however, between age and task variables and the method of instruction. Differential experience with the two instructional methods was proposed as one of the variables contributing to the above results.

Degree Name

Psychology

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Psychology

First Committee Member (Chair)

Douglas Peter Ferraro

Second Committee Member

Henry Carleton Ellis

Third Committee Member

Sidney Rosenblum

Fourth Committee Member

Marc Hanna Irwin

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

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