…I(15) I(2) I(4) I(6)…I(16), and the remaining series with a similar transformation. There will first be, accordingly, a set composed of all the syllables originally in the odd places and then a set of those originally in the even places, the second set immediately following the first. The new 16-syllable series, thus resulting, is then learned by heart. What will happen? Every member of the transformed series was, in the original series, separated from its present immediate neighbor by an intervening member with the exception of the middle term where there is a break. If these intervening members are actual obstructions to the associative connection, then the transformed series are as good as entirely unknown. In spite of the former learning of the series in the original sequence, no saving in work should be expected in the repetition of the transformed series. If on the other hand in the first learning threads of association are spun not merely from each member to its immediate successor but also over intervening members to more distant syllables, there would exist, already formed, certain predispositions for the new series. The syllables now in succession have already been bound together secretly with threads of a certain strength. In the learning of such a series it will be revealed that noticeably less work is required than for the learning of an altogether new series. The work, however, will be greater than in relearning a given series in unchanged order. In this case, again, the saving in work will constitute a measure of the strength of the associations existing between two members separated by a third. If from the original arrangement of the syllables new series are formed by the omission of 2, 3, or more intervening members, analogous considerations result. The derived series will either be learned without any noticeable saving of work, or a certain saving of work will result, and this will be proportionally less as the number of intervening terms increases.
On the basis of these considerations I undertook the following experiment. I constructed six series of 16 syllables each with the latter arranged by chance. Out of each group a new one was then constructed also composed of six series of 16 syllables each. These new groups were so formed that their adjacent syllables had been separated in the original series by either 1, or 2, or 3, or 7 intervening syllables.
