The functional relationship between amount learned and frequency vs. rate vs. total time of exposure of verbal materials

Abstract

Summary An experiment was performed to determine the influence of total time, frequency, and rate of exposure on amount learned. The S s were presented with an eight-item paired-associate list. The stimulus and response were presented simultaneously for various total times, rates, and frequencies. The S s were then given 15 test trials when the stimulus was presented alone. The measure of learning was the number correct on the test trials. The results indicate that amount learned is a function of all three variables. Amount learned increases smoothly with total time of exposure, but for frequency of exposure the function rises sharply between 1 and 5 trials, with little change between 5 and 20. For the materials and method used in the present study a presentation rate between 2 and 4 sec seems optimal. In addition, the results show a significant, but slight, negatively accelerated relationship between number correct on a test trial and the number of preceding test trials, i.e., the S s' performance improved from the first test trial to the last.