Changes in the memory operating characteristic during recognition learning

Four S s learned to recognize 30 lists of paired associates. Confidence judgments were obtained with all responses. The learning data were in agreement with a Markov model which requires a constant error probability in the initial state. The The confidence judgments were used to construct memory-operating characteristics. The MOC based upon all scores of the first test trial is smooth and symmetric and indicates good discrimination. MOCs were also constructed from scores of the first test trial which were followed by an error on some later trial, and from all scores before the last error. These two MOCs overlapped and were in between the MOC based upon all first-trial scores and the chance line. It is concluded that on trials before the last error S s possess some information about the learning material but that the amount of information does not increase during those trials.