CRITERION CHANGE AND RESPONSE COMPETITION IN UNLEARNING

Evaluated the extinction hypothesis of retroactive inhibition (RI) in 2 experiments using the A-B, A-C paired-associate paradigm. In Exp. I with 48 male undergraduates, modified-modified free recall (MMFR) was augmented with confidence ratings so that original learning (OL) strength (d') could be assessed at 2 levels of interference (2 or 20 trials of interpolated learning, IL). The OL d' was the same for both interference conditions, but OL response criterion became more restrictive after 20 trials of IL. 3 levels of monetary payoff were administered at recall and had no effect on emission of correct responses. In Exp. II, 16 male undergraduates were forced to respond with at least a guess about every OL and IL response in MMFR and exhibited less RI when so forced. It is concluded, contrary to the extinction hypothesis, that interference changes OL criterion, not strength, but that this criterion change is itself a consequence of generalized response competition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.