ATTENTIONAL PROCESSES IN OPTIONAL SHIFT BEHAVIOR

Trained 80 kindergartners and 80 undergraduates on a 2-choice visual dicrimination with either variable or constant irrelevant visual stimuli. 1/2 of the Ss were given 25 trials of overtraining after reaching criterion and prior to administration of an optional shift problem. Significantly more optional reversal shifts were made after variable than after constant irrelevant training. Overtraining increased the number of reversal shifts, although primarily after variable irrelevant training. Kindergartners made slightly fewer reversal shifts than did the adults but the difference was not significant. Results supported a 2-stage mediational model of discriminative learning and transfer in which the mediating response may be assumed to be a central selective process, attentional in nature, and equally available to a wide range of developmental levels. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.