Meaningfulness Level and Discrimination of CVC Trigrams

Abstract

This study examined the ability of 120 Ss to discriminate among CVC trigrams varying in meaningfulness (Noble's m′). Ss, on each of 80 items, chose from five response trigrams the one they rated as being most similar to the stimulus trigram. The choices included one trigram from the same meaningfulness level as the stimulus, and four others which were two step intervals apart in meaningfulness from each other and the stimulus. The results indicated a linear relationship between stimulus and response m′ level. Ss thus used amount of meaningfulness to judge the similarity of trigrams, and this depended on their ability to discriminate among the meaningfulness levels of the possible alternatives. An explanation of the mechanisms by which this discrimination process may operate was offered.