Work Decrements in the Performance of a Pursuit Task Arising from Relatively Short Periods of Massed Practice

Authors

Abram Barch, State University of IowaFollow

Document Type

Research

Abstract

In a series of articles beginning in 1948, Kimble attempted to extend two constructs of the Hullian system to the realm of motor learning. These constructs were reactive inhibition (IR) and conditioned inhibition (_SI_R). Definition and Measurement. Reactive inhibition was conceived of as a response-produced need state, a need to stop responding, which accompanies all behavior and which dissipates with rest. The effect of reactive inhibition on the learning process is to reduce the work-output level of the organism and thus to obscure the actual strength of the habit. Kimble postulated that the accumulation of a certain critical level of reactive inhibition would automatically produce a resting response. This critical level depends upon the general motivational status of the organism-the more motivated he is, the more reactive inhibition he will tolerate before resting

Publication Date

1951

Journal Title

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

58

Issue

1

First Page

313

Last Page

320

Copyright

©1951 Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Barch, Abram (1951) "Work Decrements in the Performance of a Pursuit Task Arising from Relatively Short Periods of Massed Practice," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 58(1), 313-320.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol58/iss1/38