The Effects of Prior Information and Behavioral Predictability on Observer Accuracy

Abstract

MASH, Emc J., and MAKOHONIUK, GEORGE. The Effects of Prior Information and Behavioral Predictability on Observer Accuracy. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1975, 46, 513-519. In an observation-analogue situation, observers coded either predictable or unpredictable verbal interactions under 1 of 2 conditions. First, observers were informed, prior to coding, either that there was a pattern in the interaction which, if identified, would facilitate coding or that there was no pattern. In the second condition,. observers were given no information regarding predictability. During training, observers who were informed of a pattern showed significantly lower accuracy scores. It was found that this lowered accuracy was directly related to observers making a greater number of omission errors. It was also found that observers who had a history of coding predictable interactions performed more poorly when transferring to a new observation situation compared with observers who had a history of scoring unpredictable interactions. Some of the transfer decrements following a history of observing predictable interactions were related to observers making a greater number of perseverative errors.