Personality Differences in Serial Learning under Distraction

Abstract

Previous work by Shanmugan had indicated that extraverts were able to perform better than introverts while under distraction. This experiment used serial learning of number groups, with a previously learned list of number pairs as a distractor in the final part of the experiment. It was found that greater percentage savings were obtained by extraverts under these conditions. In a third group of Ss initial distraction was arranged by placing a number pair in a group of four numbers. Extraverts also learned faster under these conditions. Several explanations of the present data are possible: (1) Jensen proposed that extraverts are more resistent to response competition, (2) Eysenck suggested that arousal, and hence, consolidation processes are less marked and intertere less in short-term memory in extraverts, (3) differences in strength of initial registration in very short-term memory may underlie the effect.