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A Generalization of Thurstone's Learning Function

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2025

Harold Gulliksen
Harold Gulliksen*
Affiliation:
Princeton University and Educational Testing Service
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Abstract

Thurstone's equation giving the probability of a correct response (p) as a function of practice time (t) when punishment and reward have equal effects has been generalized to the case where the effect of punishment is not necessarily equal to the effect of reward. Since the general equation is somewhat unwieldy, three special cases are considered, where reward has no effect, where punishment has no effect, and where these effects are equal. Equations are given together with tables for making a rectified plot for each of the three special cases.

Information

Type
Original Paper
Information
Psychometrika , Volume 18 , Issue 4 , December 1953 , pp. 297 - 307
Copyright
Copyright © 1953 The Psychometric Society

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Footnotes

*

This study was supported in part by contract N6onr 270-20 between the Office of Naval Research and Princeton University. The opinions expressed are, of course, those of the author and do not represent attitudes or policies of the Office of Naval Research.

References

Gulliksen, H. A rational equation of the learning curve based on Thorndike's Law of Effect. J. gen. Psychol., 1934, 11, 395–434.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thurstone, L. L. The learning function. J. gen. Psychol., 1930, 3, 469–493.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thurstone, L. L. The error function in maze learning. J. gen. Psychol., 1933, 9, 288–301.CrossRefGoogle Scholar