Transfer learning in chronic schizophrenics.

The experiment compared reversal shift, wherein the assignment of stimuli to categories changed but the relevant dimension did not change, to extradimensional shift, wherein a different dimension was made relevant after training. Chronic schizophrenics were trained to the same consecutive correct response criterion in a three-choice form or color discrimination and shifted to one of four possible transfer tasks. It was found that (a) extradimensional shift took more trials and errors to criterion than reversal shift and (b) more perseveration as compared to other errors were made by the total sample. The need for a uniform methodology and an evaluation of 5 selection factors when investigating the performance of schizophrenics is discussed.