The effect of monetary incentive in paired associate learning using a differential method

Two groups of human Ss were tested in a paired associate learning task using the method of anticipation with 13 pairs of CVC trigrams of low association value. Both groups were told that the learning of trigrams of a certain background color (yellow, white) would result in a reward of 25 cents for each correct response on a predetermined trial. The interval between the stimulus trigram onset and response trigram onset for each pair was 4 sec. for both groups. But the interval between the response trigram onset of one pair and the stimulus trigram onset of the next pair (R-S interval) was 4 sec. for one group and 1.3 sec. for the other group. The 4 sec. R-S interval group learned the high incentive trigrams (HIT) significantly faster than the low incentive trigrams (LIT), but the difference was not significant in the 1.3 sec. group. Also, the length of the R-S interval had a significant effect on the ease of recall of HIT relative to LIT. The amount recalled depended upon the total amount of time permitted for looking at the pairs rather than upon the total number of trials or overt recitations.