Effect of a Speed Set on Awareness and Verbal Operant Conditioning

Abstract

A study to determine the relationship between verbal operant conditioning (VOC) and awareness as measured by Dulany's post-conditioning interview. 76 Ss were given instructions for either a Speed Set or Non-speed Set. Taffel's sentence-completion task was used with an intertrial color-naming task. Reinforced Ss showed a significant increase in VOC ( p < .01), while the Nonreinforced Ss showed no increase in VOC ( p > .05). Speed Set vs Non-speed Set had no significant effect upon either VOC or awareness ( p > .05). The results supported the position of Spielberger and DeNike, in which awareness is considered to be a necessary mediating factor for VOC.