Extroversion and reminiscence following a frustrating paired-associate task.
Two experiments were reported relating extroversion to reminiscence following a frustrating paired-associate (PA) task. In the first experiment a group of 30 male and female college students was randomly assigned to one of two tasks in which they learned a PA list of high or low stimulus similarity. All PA lists were mixed lists composed of half solvable and half unsolvable (randomized) stimulus-response items. Recall for solvable items was tested immediately, 15 min, and 30 min after criterion was reached. Results indicated a significant difference between high and low stimulus similarity with superior recall for low similarity. The predicted reminiscence effect for high stimulus similarity recall was present but not significant. Comparison of recall scores for extroverts and introverts indicated a significant difference in recall favoring the introverts. The second experiment made a similar test of recall for two groups of S s that had been established as extreme extroverts or introverts (N = 8 in each group). The superiority of recall for introverts was replicated, and a reminiscence effect was found for the extroverts. Results were discussed in relation to Eysenck's formulation and previous conflicting results.
D005120:Extraversion, Psychological; D005260:Female; D005639:Frustration; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D007439:Introversion, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D011939:Mental Recall; D010153:Paired-Associate Learning; D013997:Time Factors