EFFECT OF EXPOSURE TO A MODEL ON VERBAL CONDITIONING

Abstract

To assess the effects of exposure to a model-tape (M) upon verbal conditioning, college students were given a Greenspoon-type task consisting of 30 operant and 90 acquisition trials. Ss were divided into the following conditions of the acquisition trials. Group A: M's each trial was followed by one trial by Ss (90 alternations). Group B: M's 10 successive trials were followed by 10 trials by Ss (9 alternations). Group C: M's 30 successive trials were followed by 30 trials by Ss (3 alternations). Group D: M's 90 successive trials were followed by 90 trials by Ss. The critical responses increased significantly in Groups A, B, and C, but not in Group D. Differences in modeling mechanism between Groups A and B were discussed.