Reinforcement-test-blank acquisition programming under the unmixed-list design in paired-associate learning

Abstract

Two experiments, with 64 university students, were conducted under the unmixed-list design with various repetitive reinforcement (R)-test (T)-blank (B) acquisition programming: Conditions RT, RTT, RTB, and RBT. The major empirical findings did not differ, generally, from those obtained under the mixed-list design, indicating that the main effects overcame procedural artifacts embedded in the mixed-list design. Other things being equal, the learning of verbal pairs was a function of RTB acquisition programming. Unreinforced test trials in paired-associate learning prevented retention losses and, at the same time, increased the conditioning power of the later reinforcement trials.