Learning and performance on a key-pressing task as function of the degree of spatial stimulus-response correspondence.

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Abstract
Eighty-one subjects in 9 groups practiced key-pressing responses to light stimuli under 9 different degrees of spatial stimulus-response correspondence between lights and keys. The degree of correspondence was specified by Kendall''sr[gamma] , a measure of rank correlation. The basic findings were:- (1) Performance was uniformly superior when keys and stimuli lights were in direct correspondence ( [gamma] = 1.00). (2) The marked degradation of performance in other conditions, proved to be related to r[gamma] by regular and rather simple functions. The function relating mean time per pattern to [gamma] had significant linear and quadratic components. These were hypothesized to be related, respectively, to factors defined by the algebraic and absolute Values of r[gamma]. (3) Scaling of correspondence by r[gamma] provided a set of homogeneous psychomotor tasks of scaled difficulty with an initial difficulty range in time scores of 5-1 and a final range of 3-1. (4) Nondirect correspondence groups showed a high dependence on a set of response information feedback lights. (5) In a final test in which all groups transferred to direct correspondence practice, facilitation rather than interference was found.
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