Mediation in Serial learning

Abstract

This study reports an attempt to demonstrate that mediation will facilitate serial learning. The S s learned, prior to acquisition of an A-B-C-D serial list, a paired-associate list composed of the serial units as responses and the primary word associates of the preceding words in the serial list as stimuli (A′-B, B′-C, C′-D). It was presumed that, during the serial learning of an A-B unit, A would elicit its primary associate A′ which, in turn, would elicit B. The results indicated that serial learning was facilitated by mediation.