A stimulus predifferentiation experiment was performed as a test between two models (mediation and differentiation) of discriminative processes. Three groups of preschoolers (n = 51) learned a two-choice simultaneous discrimination between similar line-drawings. Previously, two groups had learned a distinctive name for each drawing and one of them had then repeated the names for 30 sec. Repetition had no effect on discrimination learning, as predicted by the differentiation model but contrary to the mediation model.
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