Frequency of Occurrence and Identification of Ambiguous Perceptual Forms

Abstract

Differential frequency of stimulus presentation was manipulated in a training session during which 144 Ss identified nonsense form prototypes. Knowledge of results was given. In a test session Ss attempted to identify variations of the eight prototypes seen during training. The test task was to decide as to which of two prototypes a given variation was most similar, under some conditions a neither response being allowed. The results showed that the manipulation of differential frequency during a training session can lead to low-frequency responding to one type of test stimulus and high-frequency responding to another. These results were interpreted as supporting a perceptual set rather than a response bias explanation of the influence of frequency of stimulus occurrence.