Changes of pupil size and rehearsal strategies in a short-term memory task

Twelve subjects learned lists consisting of 3 groups of 4 items each drawn from vocabularies of digits, colour names or boys' names. There were two conditions of recall, total or partial, and two retention intervals, 3 and 7 sec. A view of the function of rehearsal suggests that rehearsal for total recall should be more intense than for partial recall, but only with a brief retention interval. Measurements of pupillary diameter confirm this prediction. Conditions under which pupillary measurements can serve to test theories of psychological processes are discussed.     

CHANGES IN REPEATED REPRODUCTION OF WEIGHT AS A FUNCTION OF ADAPTATION LEVEL

The retention of memorized weights was repeatedly tested by the reproduction method, the subject's state of adaptation for weight being systematically changed between the tests. The reproduction scores were found to vary as approximately linear functions of the adaptation level. This relationship was unaffected by changes in the degree of learning of the memorized weight and in several other variables. The 'anchoring' and retention of weight, and different indicators of adaptation level, are discussed.     

ON QUALITATIVE CHANGES IN THE RETENTION OF FORMS

An experiment was performed to test the following prediction: If a pattern is learned in terms of 'schema with correction', and the subject's conception of the figural schema is changed during the retention interval, the 'memory' of the pattern will change correspondingly. Following the repeated presentation of a pattern S , and the memorization of a related pattern A , patterns deviating from S more and more in a predetermined direction were interpolated. This led to a highly significant systematic error of the predicted kind in the subject's performance when he subsequently was given a recognition test for A.     

Decision time,subjective probability,and task difficulty

This study analyzed the relationships between decision time, subjective probability, and task difficulty in the context of a probability assessment task involving memory search. The results indicate that decision time and subjective probability do not yield identical functions. Also, decision time increases as subjective task difficulty increases. A similar relationship obtains between decision time and a measure of objective task difficulty. These latter two findings are inconsistent with Hogarth’s (1975) prediction of a nonmonotonic relationship between decision time and task difficulty.     

The effects of peer-teaching on student perceptions of class environment,adjustment, and academic performance

This study explored the effects of a social studies peer-teaching intervention on student perceptions of class environment, adjustment, and academic performance. There were 45 students in the experimental group (E) and 46 controls (C) from four fifth-grade classes in a suburban, predominantly white, middle-class school. The Classroom Environment Scale (CES) and a School Opinion Survey were used to assess student views of the classroom. Students completed self-esteem and peer sociometric rating measures and teachers submitted adjustment ratings for all pupils. Report card and average monthly grades were recorded in social studies. After the intervention, Es compared to Cs came to see their classes as more Involved, Orderly and Organized, and Competitive, and reported being happier in class and enjoying aspects of their school work more. The groups did not differ in change in self-esteem. Both groups improved directionally in peer liking, though Cs did so more than Es. Teachers rated Es as having increased competence and decreased in problems after the program. Es did significantly better than Cs both on report cards and monthly social studies grades due primarily to the substantial improvement of Es with initially low academic status.