Paired-associate transfer was studied under the A-B, A-C paradigm with treatments varying in List 1 and List 2 response meaningfulness (M). The levels of response M were either high (H) or low (L) on both lists (H-sub(1)-H-sub(2) or L-sub(1)-L-sub(2)) or conformed to a high-low (H-sub(1)-L-sub(2)) or low-high (L-sub(1)-H-sub(2)) relationship. The predictions were made that interference from List 1 (negative transfer) would be greatest under conditions of high List 1 response M (H-sub(1)-H-sub(2) and H-sub(1)-L-sub(2)), but that the interference would be partially offset in treatments involving disparate levels of List 1 and 2 response M (H-sub(1)-L-sub(2) and L-sub(1)-H-sub(2)). The reduction in interference was attributed to an increased opportunity to differentiate the interlist response systems. Both predictions were supported. The results were interpreted within Postman's recent interpretation of interference theory and implications relating response M and transfer were provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)