Abstract
In a Peterson and Peterson type of short-term memory experiment, proactive inhibition has been found to build up rather rapidly but is overcome if a shift to a new type of material occurs. This experiment tested whether release from proactive inhibition may occur as a result of changing from unpleasant words to pleasant words, and vice versa. Two hundred introductory psychology students served as Ss. In all instances, the experimental groups demonstrated improved recall on the critical trial as opposed to the control groups, which showed no improvement on the critical trial. The results of this experiment are interpreted as indicating that pleasant and unpleasant words are encoded or perhaps stored in memory differently.
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Based on a thesis submitted by Cooper in partial fulfillment of the MA degree at Georgia Southern College, Kincaid acted as thesis director.
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Kincaid, J.P., Cooper, F. Release from proactive inhibition as a function of pleasantness of verbal materials. Psychon Sci 27, 214–216 (1972). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03328941
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03328941