Page:Memory (1913).djvu/121

 connected are more easily learned than similar series, whose individual members are just as familiar but which have not been previously connected. The strength of the predispositions thus created was again a decreasing function of the distance of the members from each other in the original series. It was, however, considerably less for the reverse connections than for the forward ones, the distances being equal. With an approximately equal number of repetitions of the series the member immediately preceding a given member was not much more closely associated with it than the second one following it; the second preceding—so far as may be determined on the basis of these few researches—scarcely as firmly as the third following.

If one could assume a more general validity for this relation found here first in connection with syllable series, the mutually opposed experiences just mentioned would, I believe, become thoroughly intelligible. Where a series consists of only two members—as in the case of the connection between a simple idea of movement and that of an agreeable feeling—then, by means of frequent repetition the end term will acquire so strong a tendency to call up after itself the initial term that the latter will actually appear. For the bringing up of the term first preceding it is the only thing for which, as a result of the many repetitions, the second term has acquired a predisposition. But, no matter how many repetitions there may be in the case of a long series, it will never happen on the arousal of a middle term that the series will reappear in a reverse order. For, however easily the immediately preceding term may connect itself with the one for the moment aroused, the immediately succeeding term will appear more easily by far, and so will win the victory, provided other influences do not intervene.

No matter how thoroughly a person may have learned the Greek alphabet, he will never be in a condition to repeat it backwards without further training. But if he chances to set out purposely to learn it backwards, he will probably accomplish this in noticeably shorter time than was the case in the previous learning in the customary order. The objection is not in point that a poem or speech which has been committed to heart is not necessarily learned more quickly backwards than it was originally forwards. For with the learning in reverse direction the numerous threads of inner connection on which rapid