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Trial and Error Experiment

The document outlines a procedure for measuring a participant's learning capacity using a trial and error method in a slot maze. Participants are blindfolded and must navigate the maze with a stylus, recording the time taken and errors made. The experiment continues until the participant successfully completes the maze without errors three times in succession, with introspective data collected after each trial.

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5 views

Trial and Error Experiment

The document outlines a procedure for measuring a participant's learning capacity using a trial and error method in a slot maze. Participants are blindfolded and must navigate the maze with a stylus, recording the time taken and errors made. The experiment continues until the participant successfully completes the maze without errors three times in succession, with introspective data collected after each trial.

Uploaded by

saniathankamrobin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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TRIAL AND ERROR LEARNING

PROBLEM
To measure the learning capacity of the subject by trial and error method using slot maze.
MATERIALS
1. A slot maze with blind alley’s marked by numbers
2. A stylus
3. A stop watch
4. Blind fold goggles
5. Pencil
PARTICIPANT’S DETAILS
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Educational qualification
PROCEDURE
The participant is not allowed to see the maze before and during the experiment. The maze is kept face
down on the table, with one of its sides in line with the edge of the table, until the experiment begins. Seat
the subject is blindfolded and helped to hold the stylus at the starting point. Then the following
instructions are given. “Here is a problem you are to solve. Here is the starting point, your task is to move
the stylus along the groove and reach the goal. At some portion you may find dead ends which means you
have taken a wrong path. You must find the correct path by trial and error method that is by moving the
stylus along the groove backward and forth. You will be blocked if you are going back to the wrong path
again. When you reach the goal, you will be informed that you have come to the goal. Do not lift the
stylus from the path until the goal is reached. Try to avoid the wrong turns work for accuracy and speed.”
When the participant moves the stylus to a blind alley, it is considered as an error. If the participant enters
the correct path, block the stylus, so that the participant is not allowed to go through the same path and
may recognize it as wrong. When the goal is reached, say ‘stop’ but give no explanations or comments.
Note down the time taken to complete each trial and the number of alleys into which the subject goes. It
will give a record of the number and nature of errors made in each trial.
At the end of each trial ask the participant to give introspective data on the following questions
1. Is there any conscious plan to solve the problem
2. Is there any emotional disturbance like anger, depression, tension and dissatisfaction?
3. How errors are being eliminated?
Continue the trials until the subject runs the maze without errors, thrice in succession. Give one practice
trial at the portion of the maze. Draw the error and the time graph to understand the learning capacity of
the participant.
PRECAUTION
1. Do not allow the participant to see the maze till the end of the experiment
2. Do not allow the participant to move backward
3. Do not give any information regarding his/her performance during the experiment.
Tabe 1. Time taken and error committed by the participant.
Sl. Time Blind Alleys Total
No
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Total number of trials =


Average time taken=
Total errors committed =

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