VERBAL MEDIATION EFFECTS IN CROSS‐MODAL TRANSFER

Abstract

Cross‐modal transfer was investigated within the verbal mediation paradigm A–B, B–C, A–C. In the first stage the subjects learned to associate CVC syllables with three‐dimensional ceramic objects, which were presented either visually or tactually. In stage III transfer was tested by presenting the objects in the one of the two modalities which was not used during the first stage learning. Verbal mediation was found to be an effective aid in the transfer of information between the two sensory modalities. It was also found that an interference effect could be obtained in stage II, although non‐verbal stimuli were used in stage I. Transfer appeared to be larger when training started tactually and was tested visually than vice versa. It is suggested that this asymmetric effect is caused by differential verbal mediation.