| The present study investigated two organizational aspects of cognition based on Logical Learning Theory (Rychlak, 1997), specifically, the directing influence of cognitive evaluations of experience into like or dislike (termed affective assessment), and the directing influence of the logical process of reasoning from what is known ("predicate") to what is to be known ("target"). A new contribution of this research concerned the interrelation of these two features of cognition. Since individuals, who are generally positive self-evaluators, are more likely to learn and remember materials they judge positively than negatively, it follows that when they receive cues they judge positively for unrecalled materials, their recall improves. Similarly, since predicates lend meaning to their targets, it follows that individuals will be more likely to remember forgotten information when provided with predicate versus target cues. Therefore, we expected that predicate cues judged positively would produce the highest level of recall, ensued by predicate cues judged negatively, followed by target cues judged either positively or negatively.; To test these hypotheses, we varied the affective valence and direction of meaning extension in an experimental free and cued recall task (N = 108) consisting of 32 metaphors in the form of "An A is a B," where A represents the target and B the predicate noun. The nouns varied in likability as such that participants studied eight items in each of the four possible combinations of affective valence and direction of meaning extension.; Providing concurrent validation of previous research, the findings demonstrated that cues judged positively versus negatively and cues presented in the wider context of meaning extension (predicate) over the targeted referent improved recall. Additionally, predicate cues judged positively compared to the other recall prompts led to the highest level of recollection. Hence, in attempting to remember material of interest, a combination of affective preference and logical order followed is particularly significant. We discussed these findings in terms of logical learning theory, which advances an image of human nature as intentional beings who actively take a position on their experience for the sake of creating a meaningful whole, regardless of its truth-value or soundness to others. |
