Effect of Event Run Structure on Prediction of Recursive Binary Sequences

Abstract

The acquisition and prediction of recursive sequences by 150 human Ss was examined in two experiments. In general, errors per response increased with alternations in the schedule. Cycles to solution tended to increase with an increased number of runs but was not clearly related to run length or heterogeneity. Two stages of acquisition were indicated. The response-recall stage was demonstrated by S's early approximation of run lengths. Furthermore, on most schedules errors per response approached a pre-solution minimum of one error per two alternations by the middle of the acquisition process. The associative hook-up, response-ordering stage of pattern acquisition was usually characterized by an all-or-none shift from run length matching to event matching.