Within the theory of contrastive analysis, the systematic study of a pair of languages with a view to identifying their structural differences and similarities, the greater the differences between the two languages, the more negative transfer can be expected.
22.
For example, if a mariner already knows how to operate navigation equipment and if negative transfer occurs, he or she may display more errors while learning to operate new equipment than a mariner who has never operated navigation equipment.
23.
Throughout the 1950s, researchers provided some of the earliest evidence that the prior existence of old memories makes it harder to recall newer memories and he dubbed this effect " proactive interference . " During the same time, researchers began investigating negative transfer.
24.
Concepts of positive and negative transfer have a long history; researchers in the early 20th century described the possibility that " . . . habits or mental acts developed by a particular kind of training may inhibit rather than facilitate other mental activities ".
25.
In addition to positive transfer resulting in correct language production and negative transfer resulting in errors, there is some evidence that transfer from the first language can result in a kind of technical, or analytical, advantage over native ( monolingual ) speakers of a language.
26.
In this paradigm, two lists of paired associates are learned in succession, and if the second set of associations ( List 2 ) constitutes a modification of the first set of associations ( List 1 ), negative transfer results and thus the learning rate of the second list is slower than the first list.
27.
In the former case, similarities between languages was said to facilitate learning, In the latter case, one set of entrenched language habits imposed themselves on the developing language and caused non-native forms ( errors ) to occur : the result was called negative transfer, also termed interference, a foreign accent being a typical example of this ( Lado 1957 ).
