28 RUTLEDGE T. WILTBANK 



When the errors and the time were computed on the 

 basis of the average total per rat, there were six instances 

 in errors and time taken together where the transfer was 

 cumulative for three maze-learnings, and six where it de- 

 creased for three maze-learnings in succession. In the 

 case of the errors, the mazes upon which these cumulations 

 and decreases occurred were the same, whether the errors 

 were computed according to one or the other method, 

 except that according to the average per trial there was 

 one more series than according to the other method. But 

 in the case of time, cumulation appeared upon the same 

 two series of three mazes as it did according to the average 

 time per trial and also upon two additional series of three 

 mazes. There was no coincidence in the decreases in time 

 as reckoned by the two methods. 



There is no evidence therefore that this generally positive 

 and persistent transfer is also cumulative invariably and 

 continuously; nor, it may be added, that there is a regular 

 and continuous decrease. 



The Effect of Preceding Maze- Learnings upon the Learning 

 of a Particular Maze 



In the foregoing discussion, the data are treated from 

 the point of view of the different groups as they proceed 

 to learn the series of mazes, and we have followed the 

 various groups and examined their records to see whether 

 these records show a persistence and a cumulation of 

 positive transfer. But the same data can be considered 

 from another point of view — that of a particular maze, 

 where we can take our position and inquire if this maze 

 can be learned more readily by a group that has had two 

 previous learnings than by a group that has had but one, 

 and if by a group that has had three more readily than by a 

 group that has had two, and so on. The number of trials 

 required by the various groups to learn the various mazes 

 is given in table 23, and figure 10. Disregarding the desig- 

 nations of the groups, which can be obtained by reference 

 to table 6, p. 13, they are treated merely as the groups 

 which were the first, second, third, fourth or fifth to learn 

 a certain maze. 



