片段再认任务在内隐序列学习研究中的有效性检验

Validity and sensitivity analysis of segment recognition task on implicit sequence learning

内隐序列学习到底能习得何种知识呢?已有研究从任务分离范式发展到加工分离程序试图来捕获习得的知识。本研究根据信号检测论原理把三元素再认测验的成绩离析成击中率和虚报率,再试图运用加工分离程序的思想来分离习得的意识知识和无意识知识,为示区别将这种测验命名为片段再认任务,并以序列生成任务为效标,通过两个实验来检验片段再认任务的效度和敏感性。实验1以反应–刺激间隔(RSI)为自变量来检验片段再认任务和序列生成任务在测量习得知识上的效度,结果显示前者的效度高于后者;实验2进行测验的敏感性分析,以参与度为自变量,结果表明前者更为灵敏所以测量效度高。总之,与序列生成任务相比,片段再认任务是一种高效而灵敏的测量工具。

Sequence generation task, which was developed by Destrebecqz and Cleeremans based on the experimental logics of Process Dissociation Procedure, is one of the prevalent paradigms to disentangle conscious and unconscious knowledge acquisition in the sequence reaction time task. However, previous studies had indicated that the sensitivity of reproduction test is poor than that of recognition test. Moreover, sequence generation leads to variable Response-to-stimulus intervals（RSIs）, but constant RSI interferes with the quality representations of the sequence during training phase. In this paper, we tried to development a Segment Recognition Task, which is a 3-element Recognition Test based on the experimental logics of Process Dissociation Procedure and Signal Detection Theory and keeps the RSI constant, in order to better separate conscious and unconscious influences on learning. In segment recognition task, the hit means that subjects consciously or unconsciously identify grammatical sequential segment as grammatical, which is approximate to the inclusion test, P（hit）=R＋A（1-R）.The false alarm means that subjects unconsciously regard ungrammatical sequential segment as grammatical, which is approximate to the exclusion test, P（false alarm） = A（1-R）. In the present study, we adopted two experiments to examine the validity and sensitivity of segment recognition task on implicit sequence learning. Experiment 1 verified the validity of the segment recognition task, with RSI as an independent variable and sequence generation task as a criterion. The results indicated that the segment recognition task can separate conscious and unconscious influences on learning. The purpose of the second experiment was to compare the sensitivity of sequence generation task and segment recognition task on measuring conscious and unconscious knowledge acquisition. We applied the sensitivity analysis of technical economy and included the involvement as independent variables to examine the contributions of consciousness and unconsciousness to implicit sequence learning. The results indicated that the contributions of unconsciousness to high-involved task in segment recognition task were better than that to low-involved task, while the contributions of consciousness to low-involved task segment recognition task were better than that to high-involved task. The results of the present study suggested that the segment recognition task was a valid measurement to capture the knowledge presentation in implicit sequence learning and this task also demonstrated superior sensitivity to sequence generation task.