RETROACTIVE INTERFERENCE IN MEANINGFUL VERBAL LEARNING

GEORGE T. MILONAS

doi:10.4992/psycholres1954.18.91

GEORGE T. MILONAS

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JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

1976 Volume 18 Issue 2 Pages 91-104

DOI https://doi.org/10.4992/psycholres1954.18.91

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Published: September 30, 1976 Received: March 11, 1976 Available on J-STAGE: February 24, 2009 Accepted: - Advance online publication: - Revised: -
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Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: CITATION Details: Wrong : ANDERSON, R. C., & MYROW, D. L. 1971 Retroactive inhibition of meaningful discourse. Journal of Educational Psychology, 62, 81-94.
AUSUBEL, D. P. 1963 The Psychology of meaningful verbal learning. New York: Grune & Stratton.
AUSUBEL, D. P. 1968 Educational psychology: A cognitive view. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
AUSUBEL, D. P., ROBBINS, L. C., & BLAKE, E. 1957 Retroactive inhibition and facilitation in the learning of school material. Journal of Educational Psychology, 48, 334-343.
AUSUBEL, D. P., STAGER, M., & GAITE, A. J. H. 1968 Retroactive facilitation in meaningful verbal learning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 59, 250-255.
AUSUBEL, D. P., STAGER, M., & GAITE, A. J. H. 1969 Proactive effects in meaningful verbal learning and retention. Journal of Educational Psychology, 60, 59-64.
BUGELSKI, B. R., & CADWALLADER, T. C. 1956 A reappraisal of the transfer and retroaction surface. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 52, 360-366.
DALLET, K. M. 1962 The transfer surface reexamined. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 1, 91-94.
DEESE, J., & HARDMAN, G. W., Jr. 1954 An analysis of errors in retroactive inhibition of rote verbal learning. American,Journal of Psychology, 67, 299-307.
EBBINGHAUS, H. 1913 Memory: A contribution to experimental psychology. (Trs. by H. A. Ruger & C. E. Bussenius) New York: Teacher's College, Columbia University, 1885.
EDWARDS, A. L. 1960 Experimental design in psychological research. Rev. ed. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
GLAZE, J. A. 1928 The association value of nonsense syllables. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 35,255-269. Cited by J. A. McGeoch & A. L. Irion, Psychology of human learning. 2nd ed. New York: Longmans, Green & Co. 1952.
HALL, J. F. 1955 Retroactive inhibition in meaningful material. Journal of Educational Psychology, 46, 47-52.
HULL, C. L. 1933 The meaningfulness of 320 selected nonsense syllables. American Journal of' Psychology, 45, 730-734.
HILGARD, E. R., & BOWER, G. H. 1966 Theories of learning. 3rd ed. New York: Appleton- Century-Crofts.
JENKINS, J. G., & SPARKS, W. M. 1940 Retroactive inhibition in foreign language study. Psychological Bulletin, 47, 470.
JENSEN, L., DIBBLE, J., & ANDERSON, D. C. 1971 Effects of contextual change upon retroactive inhibition. Psychological Reports, 29, 39-46.
KING, D.J., & CORER, C. N. 1960 Retroactive interference in meaningful material as a function of the degree of contextual constraint in the original and interpolated learning. Journal of General Psychology, 63, 145-148.
KRUEGER, W. C. F. 1934 The relative difficulty of nonsense syllables. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 17, 145-153.
MANDLER, G. 1955 Associative frequency and associative prepotency as measures of responses to nonsense syllables. American Journal of Psychology, 68, 662-668.
MCGEOCH, J. A., & IRION, A. L. 1952 The psychology of human learning. 2nd ed. New York: Longmans, Green & Co.
MCGEOCH, J. A., & MCKINNEY, F. 1934 The susceptibility of prose to retroactive inhibition. American Journal of Psychology, 46, 429-436.
MICHELSON, N. I. 1969 Meaningfulness (m) indices for 120 nouns for children aged nine years. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 8, 80-82.
NOBLE, E. C. 1952 An analysis of meaning. Psychological Review, 59, 421-430.
NOBLE, C. E., & MCNEELY, D. A. 1957 The role of meaningfulness (m) in paired-associate verbal learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 53, 16-22.
OSGOOD, C. E. 1949 The similarity paradox in learning: A resolution. Psychological Review, 56, 132-143.
OSGOOD, C. E. 1953 Method and theory in experimental psychology. New York: Oxford University Press.
ROCKLYN, E. H., HESSERT, R. B., & BRAUN, H. W. 1957 Calibrated material for verbal learning with middle-and old-aged subjects. American ,Journal of Psychology, 70, 628-630.
SHAPIRO, S. S. 1964 Word association and meaningfulness values for grade-school-aged children. Psychological Reports, 15, 447-455.
SLAMECKA, N.J. 1959 Studies of retroaction of connected discourse. American. Journal of Psychology, 72, 409-416.
SLAMECKA, N.J. 1960 Retroactive inhibition of connected discourse as a function of similarity of topic. Journal of Educational Psychology, 60, 245-249.
SLAMECKA, N.J. 1962 Retention of connected discourse as a function of duration of interpolated learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 63, 480-486.
SPREEN, O., & SCIIULZ, R. W. 1966 Parameters of abstraction, meaningfulness, and pronunciability for 329 nouns. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 5, 459-468.
THORNDIKE, E. L., & LORGE, 1. 1944 The leaeher's word book of 30,000 words. New York: Columbia University Press.
LJNDERWOOD, B.J. 1949 Experimental psychology. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
WIMLE, R. 1964 Osgood's transfer surface: Extension and test. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 3, 274-279.

Right : ANDERSON, R. C., & MYROW, D. L. 1971 Retroactive inhibition of meaningful discourse. Journal of Educational Psychology, 62, 81-94.
AUSUBEL, D. P.1963 The psychology of meanigful verbal learning. New York: Grune & Stratton.
AUSUBEL, D. P.1968 Educational psychology: A cognitive view. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
AUSUBEL, D. P., ROBBINS, L. C, & BLAKE, E. 1957 Retroactive inhibition and facilitation in the learning of school material. Journal of Educational Psychology, 48, 334-343.
AUSUBEL, D. P., STAGER, M., & GAITE, A. J. H. 1968 Retroactive facilitation in meaningful verbal learning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 59, 250-255.
AUSUBEL, D. P., STAGER, M., & GAITE, A. J. H. 1969 Proactive effects in meaningful verbal learning and retention. Journal of Educational Psychology, 60, 59-64.
BUGELSKI, B. R., & CADWALLADER, T. C. 1956 A reappraisal of the transfer and retroaction surface. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 52, 360-366.
DALLET, K. M. 1962 The transfer surface reexamined. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 1, 91-94.
DEESE, J., & HARDMAN, G. W., Jr. 1954 An analysis of errors in retroactive inhibition of rote verbal learning. American Journal of Psychology, 67, 299-307.
EBBINGHAUS, H. 1913 Memory: A contribution to experimental psychology.(Trs. by H. A. Ruger & C. E. Bussenius) New York: Teacher's College, Columbia University, 1885.
EDWARDS, A. L. 1960 Experimental design in psychological research. Rev. ed. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
GLAZE, J. A. 1928 The association value of nonsense syllables. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 35, 255-269. Cited by J. A. McGeoch & A. L. Irion, Psychology of human learning. 2nd ed. New York: Longmans, Green & Co. 1952.
HALL, J. F. 1955 Retroactive inhibition in meaningful material. Journal of Educational Psychology, 46, 47-52.
HULL, C. L. 1933 The meaningfulness of 320 selected nonsense syllables. American Journal of Psychology, 45, 730-734.
HILGARD, E. R., & BOWER, G. H. 1966 Theories of learning. 3rd ed. New York: Appleton Century-Crofts.
JENKINS, J. G., & SPARKS, W. M. 1940 Retroactive inhibition in foreign language study. Psychological Bulletin, 47, 470.
JENSEN, L., DIBBLE, J., & ANDERSON, D. C. 1971 Effects of contextual change upon retroactive inhibition. Psychological Reports, 29, 39-46.
KING, D. J., & CORER, C. N. 1960 Retroactive interference in meaningful material as a function of the degree of contextual constraint in the original and interpolated learning. Journal of General Psychology, 63, 145-148.
KRUEGER, W. C. F. 1934 The relative difficulty of nonsense syllables. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 17, 145-153.
MANDLER, G. 1955 Associative frequency and associative prepotency as measures of responses to nonsense syllables. American Journal of Psychology, 68, 662-668.
MCGEOCH, J. A., & IRION, A. L. 1952 The psychology of human learning. 2nd ed. New York: Longmans, Green & Co.
MCGEOCH, J. A., & MCKINNEY, F. 1934 The susceptibility of prose to retroactive inhibition. American Journal of Psychology, 46, 429-436.
MICHELSON, N. I. 1969 Meaningfulness (m) indices for 120 nouns for children aged nine years. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 8, 80-82.
NOBLE, E. C. 1952 An analysis of meaning. Psychological Review, 59, 421-430.
NOBLE, C. E., & MCNEELY, D. A. 1957 The role of meaningfulness (m) in paired-associate verbal learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 53, 16-22.
OSGOOD, C. E. 1949 The similarity paradox in learning: A resolution. Psychological Review, 56, 132-143.
OSGOOD, C. E. 1953 Method and theory in experimental psychology. New York: Oxford University Press.
ROCKLYN, E. H., HESSERT, R. B., & BRAUN, H. W. 1957 Calibrated material for verbal learning with middle-and old-aged subjects. American Journal of Psychology, 70, 628-630.
SHAPIRO, S. S. 1964 Word association and meaningfulness values for grade-school-aged children. Psychological Reports, 15, 447-455.
SLAMECKA, N. J. 1959 Studies of retroaction of connected discourse. American Journal of Psychology, 72, 409-416.
SLAMECKA, N. J. 1960 Retroactive inhibition of connected discourse as a function of similarity of topic. Journal of Educational Psychology, 60, 245-249.
SLAMECKA, N. J. 1962 Retention of connected discourse as a function of duration of interpolated learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 63, 480-486.
SPREEN, O., & SCHULZ, R. W. 1966 Parameters of abstraction, meaningfulness, and pronunciability for 329 nouns. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 5, 459-468.
THORNDIKE, E. L., & LORGE, I. 1944 THe leacher's word book of 30, 000 words. New York: Columbia University Press.
UNDERWOOD, B. J. 1949 Experimental psychology. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
WIMER, R. 1964 Osgood's transfer surface: Extension and test. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 3, 274-279.

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: PDF FILE Details: -

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: CITATION Details: Wrong : ANDERSON, R. C., & MYROW, D. L. 1971 Retroactive inhibition of meaningful discourse. Journal of Educational Psychology, 62, 81-94.
AUSUBEL, D. P.1963 The psychology of meanigful verbal learning. New York: Grune & Stratton.
AUSUBEL, D. P.1968 Educational psychology: A cognitive view. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
AUSUBEL, D. P., ROBBINS, L. C, & BLAKE, E. 1957 Retroactive inhibition and facilitation in the learning of school material. Journal of Educational Psychology, 48, 334-343.
AUSUBEL, D. P., STAGER, M., & GAITE, A. J. H. 1968 Retroactive facilitation in meaningful verbal learning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 59, 250-255.
AUSUBEL, D. P., STAGER, M., & GAITE, A. J. H. 1969 Proactive effects in meaningful verbal learning and retention. Journal of Educational Psychology, 60, 59-64.
BUGELSKI, B. R., & CADWALLADER, T. C. 1956 A reappraisal of the transfer and retroaction surface. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 52, 360-366.
DALLET, K. M. 1962 The transfer surface reexamined. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 1, 91-94.
DEESE, J., & HARDMAN, G. W., Jr. 1954 An analysis of errors in retroactive inhibition of rote verbal learning. American Journal of Psychology, 67, 299-307.
EBBINGHAUS, H. 1913 Memory: A contribution to experimental psychology.(Trs. by H. A. Ruger & C. E. Bussenius) New York: Teacher's College, Columbia University, 1885.
EDWARDS, A. L. 1960 Experimental design in psychological research. Rev. ed. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
GLAZE, J. A. 1928 The association value of nonsense syllables. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 35, 255-269. Cited by J. A. McGeoch & A. L. Irion, Psychology of human learning. 2nd ed. New York: Longmans, Green & Co. 1952.
HALL, J. F. 1955 Retroactive inhibition in meaningful material. Journal of Educational Psychology, 46, 47-52.
HULL, C. L. 1933 The meaningfulness of 320 selected nonsense syllables. American Journal of Psychology, 45, 730-734.
HILGARD, E. R., & BOWER, G. H. 1966 Theories of learning. 3rd ed. New York: Appleton Century-Crofts.
JENKINS, J. G., & SPARKS, W. M. 1940 Retroactive inhibition in foreign language study. Psychological Bulletin, 47, 470.
JENSEN, L., DIBBLE, J., & ANDERSON, D. C. 1971 Effects of contextual change upon retroactive inhibition. Psychological Reports, 29, 39-46.
KING, D. J., & CORER, C. N. 1960 Retroactive interference in meaningful material as a function of the degree of contextual constraint in the original and interpolated learning. Journal of General Psychology, 63, 145-148.
KRUEGER, W. C. F. 1934 The relative difficulty of nonsense syllables. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 17, 145-153.
MANDLER, G. 1955 Associative frequency and associative prepotency as measures of responses to nonsense syllables. American Journal of Psychology, 68, 662-668.
MCGEOCH, J. A., & IRION, A. L. 1952 The psychology of human learning. 2nd ed. New York: Longmans, Green & Co.
MCGEOCH, J. A., & MCKINNEY, F. 1934 The susceptibility of prose to retroactive inhibition. American Journal of Psychology, 46, 429-436.
MICHELSON, N. I. 1969 Meaningfulness (m) indices for 120 nouns for children aged nine years. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 8, 80-82.
NOBLE, E. C. 1952 An analysis of meaning. Psychological Review, 59, 421-430.
NOBLE, C. E., & MCNEELY, D. A. 1957 The role of meaningfulness (m) in paired-associate verbal learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 53, 16-22.
OSGOOD, C. E. 1949 The similarity paradox in learning: A resolution. Psychological Review, 56, 132-143.
OSGOOD, C. E. 1953 Method and theory in experimental psychology. New York: Oxford University Press.
ROCKLYN, E. H., HESSERT, R. B., & BRAUN, H. W. 1957 Calibrated material for verbal learning with middle-and old-aged subjects. American Journal of Psychology, 70, 628-630.
SHAPIRO, S. S. 1964 Word association and meaningfulness values for grade-school-aged children. Psychological Reports, 15, 447-455.
SLAMECKA, N. J. 1959 Studies of retroaction of connected discourse. American Journal of Psychology, 72, 409-416.
SLAMECKA, N. J. 1960 Retroactive inhibition of connected discourse as a function of similarity of topic. Journal of Educational Psychology, 60, 245-249.
SLAMECKA, N. J. 1962 Retention of connected discourse as a function of duration of interpolated learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 63, 480-486.
SPREEN, O., & SCHULZ, R. W. 1966 Parameters of abstraction, meaningfulness, and pronunciability for 329 nouns. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 5, 459-468.
THORNDIKE, E. L., & LORGE, I. 1944 THe leacher's word book of 30, 000 words. New York: Columbia University Press.
UNDERWOOD, B. J. 1949 Experimental psychology. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
WIMER, R. 1964 Osgood's transfer surface: Extension and test. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 3, 274-279.

Right : ANDERSON, R. C., & MYROW, D. L. 1971 Retroactive inhibition of meaningful discourse. Journal of Educational Psychology, 62, 81-94.
AUSUBEL, D. P.1963 The psychology of meanigful verbal learning. New York: Grune & Stratton.
AUSUBEL, D. P.1968 Educational psychology: A cognitive view. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
AUSUBEL, D. P., ROBBINS, L. C,, & BLAKE, E. 1957 Retroactive inhibition and facilitation in the learning of school material. Journal of Educational Psychology, 48, 334-343.
AUSUBEL, D. P., STAGER, M., & GAITE, A. J. H. 1968 Retroactive facilitation in meaningful verbal learning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 59, 250-255.
AUSUBEL, D. P., STAGER, M., & GAITE, A. J. H. 1969 Proactive effects in meaningful verbal learning and retention. Journal of Educational Psychology, 60, 59-64.
BUGELSKI, B. R., & CADWALLADER, T. C. 1956 A reappraisal of the transfer and retroaction surface. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 52, 360-366.
DALLET, K. M. 1962 The transfer surface reexamined. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 1, 91-94.
DEESE, J., & HARDMAN, G. W., Jr. 1954 An analysis of errors in retroactive inhibition of rote verbal learning. American Journal of Psychology, 67, 299-307.
EBBINGHAUS, H. 1913 Memory: A contribution to experimental psychology.(Trs. by H. A. Ruger & C. E. Bussenius) New York: Teacher's College, Columbia University, 1885.
EDWARDS, A. L. 1960 Experimental design in psychological research. Rev. ed. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
GLAZE, J. A. 1928 The association value of nonsense syllables. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 35, 255-269.
Cited by J. A. McGeoch & A. L. Irion, Psychology of human learning. 2nd ed. New York: Longmans, Green & Co. 1952.
HALL, J. F. 1955 Retroactive inhibition in meaningful material. Journal of Educational Psychology, 46, 47-52.
HULL, C. L. 1933 The meaningfulness of 320 selected nonsense syllables. American Journal of Psychology, 45, 730-734.
HILGARD, E. R., & BOWER, G. H. 1966 Theories of learning. 3rd ed. New York: Appleton Century-Crofts.
JENKINS, J. G., & SPARKS, W. M. 1940 Retroactive inhibition in foreign language study. Psychological Bulletin, 47, 470.
JENSEN, L., DIBBLE, J., & ANDERSON, D. C. 1971 Effects of contextual change upon retroactive inhibition. Psychological Reports, 29, 39-46.
KING, D. J., & COFER, C. N. 1960 Retroactive interference in meaningful material as a function of the degree of contextual constraint in the original and interpolated learning. Journal of General Psychology, 63, 145-148.
KRUEGER, W. C. F. 1934 The relative difficulty of nonsense syllables. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 17, 145-153.
MANDLER, G. 1955 Associative frequency and associative prepotency as measures of responses to nonsense syllables. American Journal of Psychology, 68, 662-668.
McGEOCH, J. A., & IRION, A. L. 1952 The psychology of human learning. 2nd ed. New York: Longmans, Green & Co.
MCGEOCH, J. A., & MCKINNEY, F. 1934 The susceptibility of prose to retroactive inhibition. American Journal of Psychology, 46, 429-436.
MICHELSON, N. I. 1969 Meaningfulness (m) indices for 120 nouns for children aged nine years. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 8, 80-82.
NOBLE, E. C. 1952 An analysis of meaning. Psychological Review, 59, 421-430.
NOBLE, C. E., & MCNEELY, D. A. 1957 The role of meaningfulness (m) in paired-associate verbal learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 53, 16-22.
OSGOOD, C. E. 1949 The similarity paradox in learning: A resolution. Psychological Review, 56, 132-143.
OSGOOD, C. E. 1953 Method and theory in experimental psychology. New York: Oxford University Press.
ROCKLYN, E. H., HESSERT, R. B., & BRAUN, H. W. 1957 Calibrated material for verbal learning with middle- and old-aged subjects. American Journal of Psychology, 70, 628-630.
SHAPIRO, S. S. 1964 Word association and meaningfulness values for grade-school-aged children. Psychological Reports, 15, 447-455.
SLAMECKA, N. J. 1959 Studies of retroaction of connected discourse. American Journal of Psychology, 72, 409-416.
SLAMECKA, N. J. 1960 Retroactive inhibition of connected discourse as a function of similarity of topic. Journal of Educational Psychology, 60, 245-249.
SLAMECKA, N. J. 1962 Retention of connected discourse as a function of duration of interpolated learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 63, 480-486.
SPREEN, O., & SCHULZ, R. W. 1966 Parameters of abstraction, meaningfulness, and pronunciability for 329 nouns. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 5, 459-468.
THORNDIKE, E. L., & LORGE, I. 1944 The leacher's word book of 30, 000 words. New York: Columbia University Press.
UNDERWOOD, B. J. 1949 Experimental psychology. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
WIMER, R. 1964 Osgood's transfer surface: Extension and test. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 3, 274-279.

Abstract

Eighteen Japanese freshmen students were assigned to two experimental and one control group to test Ausubel's (1963) subsumption theory of meaningful verbal learning and retention in a retroactive interference paradigm. Between the original learning task and the test for retention, one experimental group learned a similar but conflicting passage while the other experimental group learned a completely dissimilar passage. The control group did not participate in any interpolated learning task. Contrary to the findings of Anderson and Myrow (1971), whose material and modified methods were used, no retroactive interference occurred. The results of this study support Ausubel's subsumption theory of meaningful verbal learning and retention.

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