Isolation of an Habituational Position Effect in Paired-Associate Learning

Abstract

Verbal responses on Trial 2 of a paired-associate learning session were trichotomized into correct responses, incorrect or competing responses, and omission errors. When serial position effects were procedurally and analytically controlled, correct responses increased and competing responses decreased across the eight serial positions on this trial. Galvanic skin responses to the stimulus members of the pairs systematically decreased across positions on Trial 2. These results were not obtained when Ss were given warm-up experience prior to learning.