Associative structure and the temporal characteristics of free recall.

Abstract

6 DIFFERENT GROUPS OF ABOUT 30 UNDERGRADUATES EACH WERE REQUIRED TO RECALL 2 DIFFERENT LISTS OF 22 WORDS AFTER HAVING SEEN THE LIST FOR 1, 3, OR 5 PRESENTATIONS. 1 LIST CONTAINED 22 WORD ASSOCIATES EVOKED BY THE STIMULUS "MUSIC," WHILE THE 2ND CONTAINED 22 WORD ASSOCIATES EVOKED BY "COMMAND." SINCE SS PRODUCED THEIR RECALLS ORALLY IT WAS POSSIBLE TO DEFINE FAST AND SLOW RECALL SEQUENCES ON THE BASIS OF INTERWORD RTS. THE WORDS COMPOSING A FAST OUTPUT SEQUENCE WERE ASSOCIATIVELY MORE INTERCONNECTED AND SEMANTICALLY MORE SIMILAR THAN WORDS COMPOSING A SLOW OUTPUT SEQUENCE. THESE RESULTS IMPLY THAT SS USE ASSOCIATIVE STRUCTURE IN FACILITATING RECALL WHEN SUCH STRUCTURE IS BASED BOTH ON WORD ASSOCIATION AND SEMANTIC FACTORS. RESULTS ARE ALSO DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF THE VARIOUS STRATEGIES USED BY SS IN ACCOMPLISHING FREE RECALL. (17 REF.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)