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Defense Phenomenon in Perception, Learning, and and Memory: An Experimental Study of Cognitive Consistency
1a Allahabad University , India.
Abstract:
With the assumption of generality of perceptual defense, it was predicted that if an S had higher recognition threshold for taboo words, then his learning and retention of such material would also be impaired. To test this, 120 male undergraduate and graduate students were asked (a) to recognize, (b) to learn, and (c) to recall the same set of taboo and neutral words. Data supported the generality hypothesis and also suggested that in some S s defense could occur in memory though it is not observed in perception and learning.
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