Delay of Information in Paired-Associate Learning among Incarcerated Groups of Sociopaths and Heroin Addicts

Abstract

The present study investigated the effects of information delay or delay of reinforcement on rate of acquisition in a paired-associate learning task using the anticipation method and appearance of the S-R term as knowledge of results in three groups of socially deviant males. Sociopaths, sociopathic addicts, and nonsociopathic controls ( n = 90) practiced on a paired-associate task under three conditions of reinforcement: nondelay, 4-sec. delay, and 8-sec. delay. Learning performance was a complex function of subject group and duration of information delay. Rate of acquisition was significantly impaired by imposition of information delay among sociopathic and sociopathic addict learners as compared to nonsociopathic controls. Findings suggest that groups of sociopaths and sociopathic addicts, because of personality features shared in common, demonstrate greater variability in learning performance than those categorized as normal depending upon the type, timing, and conditions under which reinforcement occurs.