Abstract

20 16-60 yr old Ss took part in a free-response study in which they based ratings of targets on unexplainable or noteworthy experiences occurring during the day of the trial. Each S provided a target set to be used only for that S, which consisted of the 5 most important topics or issues in their lives at that time. Targets were presented to the agent (a 16-yr-old female) either in the way the S had provided them or as a concept, so that the agent had to form her own representation of it. No significant results were found relating to the total number of hits based on the Ss' matchings or to the difference between the 2 conditions of the agent's representation of the targets. One attempt to select targets based on objective criteria resulted in 7 hits in 10 trials, but this is seen as only a preliminary finding. (12 ref)