Stimulus functions for constant serial order in paired-associate learning

Effects of constant serial order in paired-associate learning were examined in two experiments. In neither experiment were significant differences found in the acquisition of paired-associate lists as a function of constant or varied orders of either study or test presentations. In Experiment I transfer to a variable-order paired-associate task employing the same items used in the acquisition phase produced significantly more errors in the group which received the same constant order in both study and test trials during acquisition. In Experiment II transfer tests were used to examine the relative availability of sequential and ordinal cues in constant-order paired-associate learning. The results were interpreted as evidence for differential selection of cues as functional stimuli in paired-associate learning.