Modification of Performance on the Rod-and-Frame Test

Abstract

A 2-phase investigation (10 preconditioning trials followed by 10 conditioning trials) was performed in which operant conditioning techniques were used to increase the absolute magnitude of the average error on the rod-and-frame test (RFT) for one group and to decrease it for a second group of 10 undergraduates. A third group was given the same number of trials without reinforcement (E saying “very good”) in order to control for practice effects. The RFT performances of the experimental groups were significantly modified in the predicted directions and remained consistent over 1 mo. Although the RFT performance of the control group improved significantly during the initial testing, this improvement did not carry over 1 mo.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Bauman

The stability of the individual mode of perception-personality relationships. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, New York Univer., 1951.

Camenietzki

An experimental test of the stability of mode-of-perception of the upright. Unpublished Master's thesis, Univer. of Kansas, 1967.

Elliott

McMichael

R. E.

Effects of specific training on frame dependence. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1963, 17, 363–367.

Fliegel

Z. O.

Stability and change in perceptual performance of a late adolescent group in relation to personality variables. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, New School for Social Research, 1955.

Franks

C. M.

Differences determinees per la personalite dans la perception visuelle de la verticalite. Revue de Psychologie Applique, 1956, 6, 235–246.

Goldstein

Chotlos

J. W.

Stability of field dependence in chronic alcoholic patients. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1966, 71, 420.

Gross

F. S.

The role of set in the perception of the upright. Journal of Personality, 1959, 27, 95–103.

Karp

S. A.

Witkin

H. A.

Goodenough

D. R.

Alcoholism and psychological differentiation: effects of alcohol on field dependence. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1965, 70, 262–265.

Mann

C. W.

Boring

R. O.

The role of instruction in experimental space orientation. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1953, 45, 44–48.

10.

McAllister

L. W.

Modification of performance on the Rod-and-frame test through token reinforcement procedures. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1970, 75, 124–130.

11.

Pollack

Kahn

R. L.

Karp

Fink

Individual differences in the perception of the upright in hospitalized psychiatric patients. Paper presented at the meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, New York, 1960.

12.

Weiner

Effects of training in space orientation on perception of the upright. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1955, 49, 367–373.

13.

Witkin

H. A.

The effect of training and of structural aids on performance in three tests of space orientation. Washington, D. C.: Civil Aeronautics Administration, Division of Research, 1948. (Report No. 80).

14.

Witkin

H. A.

The nature and importance of individual differences in perception. In Bruner

J. S.

Krech

(Eds.), Perception and personality. Durham, N. C.: Duke Univer. Press, 1950. Pp. 27–43.

15.

Witkin

H. A.

The perception of the upright. Scientific American, 1959, 200, 50–56.

16.

Witkin

H. A.

Dyk

R. B.

Faterson

H. F.

Goodenough

D. R.

Karp

S. A.

Psychological differentiation. New York: Wiley, 1962.

17.

Witkin

H. A.

Lewis

H. B.

Hertzman

Machover

Meissner

P. B.

Wapner

Personality through perception: an experimental and clinical study. New York: Harper, 1954.