Verbal conditioning: Awareness and subject set

Abstract

This study attempted to demonstrate that inieiligent Ss would show learning without awareness (LWA) in a verbal conditioning situation where cues and references pertaining to psychology were minimized. College students and graduates performed a simple verbal conditioning task under these circumstances and were then given an elaborate interview to determine presence or absence of awareness. Control Ss were given the same amount of reinforcement, delivered randomly. To control for potential biases, E was deliberately misled concerning the expected results. LWA occurred as expected, although whether it was specifically due to the absence of a “psychological set” could not be determined.