Effects of Verbal Repetition on Meaning Intensity and Retention of Functors

Abstract

The effects of satiation treatment of functors on their intensity of connotative meaning and retention were studied. An additional purpose was to explore the possibility of an interaction between context effects and statistical regression effects in rating the functors on semantic differential scales. A retroaction paradigm was used in which either the stimuli or responses or a control set of functors were given satiation treatment during the interpolated period. Analysis showed (a) no interaction between context and regression effects, (b) Satiation treatment of functors resulted in generation of meaning that was not entirely due to the regression phenomenon. (c) Interpolated satiation treatment given to functors had no effect on their retention. The results were discussed in the light of existing theoretical formulations of semantic satiation and verbal learning.