Ego strength and methods of learning associations

Abstract

High ego-strength subjects, determined by the Cattell 16PF, were shown to be inferior to low ego-strength subjects in learning paired associations by the anticipation method, whereas the reverse was true when learning by the study/test method, when the list involved noncompeting materials. High ego strength is assumed to correlate with a high degree of control of responding tendencies and, hence, with a high response-confidence threshold. Learning is assumed to be retarded under the anticipation method due to competition within the method in the rapid alternation in retrieval and storage processes, which further heightens the confidence threshold, that of the high ego-strength subjects being above that of the low ego-strength subjects. On a competing task, the interaction did not occur, but significant effects were obtained for both ego strength (low inferior) and method such that the overall pattern of results suggested further insight into the processes affected by both ego strength and the two methods.