Operant Level, Awareness, and the Greenspoon Effect

Abstract

Three groups of Ss were instructed to say words. For one group E said “mm-hmm” following each plural noun response. For a second group E delivered the reinforcement on a fixed random basis in the same proportion as the reinforced group. A third group received no reinforcement. On the basis of an intensive interview conducted following a brief extinction period, no S was found to be aware. No difference due to the reinforcement was found between any of the experimental groups. The relationship of the results to those of other recent studies and alternative explanations for findings of “learning without awareness” in earlier investigations were discussed.