The dependence of learning and recall upon prior intellectual activities.

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Abstract
Particular apperceptive systems were aroused in subjects prior to learning and prior to recall, and these subjects' abilities in these functions were compared with that of a control group. The subjects were required to read resumés of certain fields of knowledge and to answer questions on them (sometimes they had only to answer questions without previous reading). The lists of words memorized and recalled were sometimes related to this field of knowledge, sometimes not. Learning is unaffected by the arousal of such an apperceptive system. There is, however, some slight but statistically unreliable indication that arousal of a system related to the material learned is detrimental. Recall was tested 24 or 48 hours after learning. The arousal of a system immediately prior to recall, prior to learning, or immediately following learning is detrimental to recall, both in the percentage of words retained and in number of errors. The effect is greater if the system is closely related to the material learned. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)

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