EFFECTS OF AUDITORY AND VISUAL PRETRAINING ON PERFORMANCE IN A TACTILE DISCRIMINATION TASK.

Abstract

Three groups of children were compared for performance in a tactile discrimination task. Group A had received auditory pretraining; Group V had received visual pretraining; Group C received only familiarization with the room and apparatus. The basis of discrimination in all three modalities was “one” vs “two.” Both visual and auditory pretraining facilitated performance in the tactile task. Visual pretraining was more effective than auditory, in its facilitating effects on tactile discrimination. Findings ate not fully accounted for under the heading of learning set, suggesting the need for a more comprehensive theory of sensory integration. Problems in providing an adequate control experience with the apparatus without transfer of learning to the final task for Group C and problems of comparability of tasks in different modalities are discussed.