Distribution of practice and forced guidance were used in a sequential information-processing task in an attempt to increase the capacity of human information-processing mechanisms. A reaction time index of the psychological refractory period was used as the response measure. Massing of practice lengthened response times while forced guidance shortened them. Interpretation was in terms of load reduction upon the response-selection stage of the information-processing system.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AdamsJ. A.Test of the hypothesis of the psychological refractory period. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1962, 64, 280–287.
2.
BernsteinI. H.BlakeR. R.HughesM. H.The effects of time and event uncertainty on sequential information processing. Perception and Psychophysics, 1968, 3, 177–184.
BlakeR. R.FoxR.Visual form recognition threshold and the psychological refractory period. Perception and Psychophysics, 1969, 5, 46–48.
5.
DavisR.The role of attention in the psychological refractory period. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1959, 11, 211–220.
6.
GottsdankerR.WayT. C.Varied and constant intervals in psychological refractoriness. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1966, 72, 792–803.
7.
HermanL. M.McCauleyM. E.Delay in responding to the first stimulus in the “Psychology Refractory Period” experiment. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1969, 81, 344–350.
8.
HoldingD. H.Guidance in pursuit tracking. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1959, 57, 362–366.
9.
NickersonR. S.The response time to the second of two successive signals. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1965, 21, 3–10.
10.
ReynoldsD.Time and event uncertainty in unisensory reaction time. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1966, 71, 286–293.
11.
SmithM. C.Theories of the psychological refractory period. Psychological Bulletin, 1967, 67, 202–213.
