The Role of Different Sets of Verbal Cues in Six-Choice Reaction Time

McAllister (2) recently offered an explanation for the subsequent superior performance on the Star Discrimeter of Ss given relevant-S-R pretraining over Ss given relevant-S pretraining. She further proposed that because of previous learning, different relevantS-R pretraining would lead to differential facilitation. This differential facilitation would occur for two reasons. First, verbal responses serve as cues, which, through past learning (plus instructions), elicit responses which furnish information concerning the correct motor responses. Since the past learning would, presumably, be different for various types of verbal responses this variation would lead to differential facilitation. Second, if in previous learning situations response strength had been acquired between the verbal cues and motor responses similar to those required on the criterion task facilitation would be increased