Paired Associative Learning

Evaluating the Effects of Paired Associative Learning

Abstract

Given the implications of paired associative learning, the researcher sought to determine whether or not visual imagery had a greater effect on memory recall than did repetition. Participants were given the task of imagining two concrete nouns interacting with one another or simply repeating the nouns in their mind. In a 1x2 design, sixty participants were randomly assigned to one of the two possible conditions. As expected, the participants who used visual imagery did significantly better on the memory recall test than those who used repetition.

Introduction

An interesting phenomenon in the field of cognitive psychology is paired associative learning and the notion of the conceptual peg hypothesis.

Paired associative learning is when pairs of concrete nouns are presented and studied by participants. After the study period, participants go through a test period where the first noun is given and their task is to recall the paired noun (Battig, 1972).

The idea that paired associative learning should contain concrete nouns rather than abstract nouns stems from the conceptual peg hypothesis. In his theory, Paivio states that memory for concrete nouns is better than memory for abstract nouns due to the fact that people can conceptualize more clearly things that they can see and touch rather than feel emotionally. Paivio suggests that concrete nouns create images in our minds that other concrete nouns can attach themselves to (Paivio, 1969). For example, in the word pair hook-scarf, one can visualize a hook mentally and then place the scarf onto it. This sort of visual imagery in which a person visualizes the two nouns interacting with one another is a more complex image, and therefore should produce a stronger memory (Goldstein, 2011).

Gordon Bower and David Winez conducted research in the 1970s on paired associative learning and today, the results are widely accepted as being true. In their...