Abstract
Preschool Ss were given object discrimination problems to solve in the absence of overt instrumental responses. A pre-established prompt indicated the rewarded object on all observation trials (no instrumental response permitted). A Look Group was instructed during, these trials to “Look,” a Point Group to “Point to the toy that has the candy under it.” One, two, or four such prompted trials preceded one nonprompted test trial (instrumental response allowed). Only the Point Group learned to solve the problems. Results were discussed in terms of implicit responses differentially elicited by the instructions.
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Fletcher, H. J. Discrimination learning by retardates as a function of number of implicit response trials. Psychon. Sci., 1966, 4, 159–160.
Murphy, J. V., & Miller, R. E. Spatial contiguity of cue, reward and response in discrimination learning by children. J. exp. Psychol., 1959, 58, 485–489.
Polidora, V. J., & Fletcher, H. J. An analysis of the importance of S-R spatial contiguity for proficient primate discrimination performance. J. comp. physiol. Psychol., 1964, 57, 224–230.
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1. Preparation of this paper was supported by contract OE 5-10-54 from the U. S. Office of Education to the University of Wisconsin Research and Development Center for Learning and Re-Education. The authors are indebted to Mrs. Virginia Newman, Director, and the staff of the Unitarian Meeting House Nursery School for their kind cooperation, and to Mrs. Lois Fletcher for her assistance throughout this project.
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Fletcher, H.J., Orr, B.M. Instructions and observational learning in preschool children. Psychon Sci 7, 83–84 (1967). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03331089
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03331089