Lability in Learning

Abstract

The term lability is defined and calculated for each individual's scores across a series of trials. This is demonstrated using the results of 3 learning tasks. Three task situations were employed and this gave three orders of commencing the tasks in a Latin square design. The analyses of variance performed showed that for the group the score provided an index which was invariant across trials but varied between tasks and with the order of commencing tasks. The lability score was shown to be characteristic of individual performance across a series of trials such that it correlated between tasks. This showed a probablistic relationship existing between scores on consecutive trials which would not have been expected from current theories of learning.