Associative and perceptual dominance in compounding stimuli

Abstract

After learning verbal paired-associate (P-A) lists with single stimuli, 90 college Ss were tested on (P-A) lists with either single or compound stimuli. Compounds which consisted of two relevant cues were not superior to a single relevant cue while each of these conditions was superior to compounds consisting of one relevant and one irrelevant cue, particularly when the irrelevant cue was perceptually dominant. Associative and perceptual factors interacted in determining the transfer effects of compounding.