EXPECTED TIME OF TEST AND THE ACQUISITION OF KNOWLEDGE

Abstract

Summary. Subjects from four classes (two classes in physics and two classes in Dutch literature) expected to receive either a delayed test (one or two weeks later) or a test immediately after their class. For all subjects, the test was given at the same time (immediate test). Male subjects expecting an immediate test performed better than male subjects expecting a delayed test. No clear findings were obtained with female subjects. While the data were inconclusive about a hypothesis derived from information processing studies, the absence of interaction effects with various personality measurements and the data from the post‐experimental questionnaire strongly suggested the inadequacy of the goal gradient hypothesis.