Abstract
Transfer under a standard A-C (first-list stimuli paired with new responses) verbal paired-associate transfer paradigm was found to shift from positive when only two A-C pairs were included with six new C-D control pairs in a mixed list, to increasing negative transfer with four pairs of both types, and with six A-C along with two C-D pairs. Since the latter most closely corresponds to typical mixed-list transfer conditions, these results are indicative of a spurious overestimate of negative transfer for other paradigms under mixed-list conditions.
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This research was supported in part by Public Health Service Research Grant HD-01062 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The author is also indebted to Sheila L. Hunt, Jon Maiden, and Glen E. Webb, who served as experimenters.
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Battig, W.F. A shift from “negative” to “positive” transfer under the A-C paradigm with increased number of C-D control pairs in a mixed list. Psychon Sci 4, 421–422 (1966). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03342370
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03342370