Short-term memory as a function of information processing during the retention interval.

Abstract

In 4 experiments (Ns = 48, 30, 30, and 128 students) using the distractor technique for studying short-term memory, the difficulty of interpolated tasks was varied in different parts of retention intervals up to 15 sec. long. With a difficult task followed by an easy task, forgetting increased to a maximum as the duration of the difficult task increased to 3-6 sec. With an easy task followed by a difficult task, forgetting decreased as the duration of the easy task increased. When the difficulty of the change from the difficult task to the easy task was increased by increasing the number of alternative easy tasks S had to select from, forgetting increased. Results were interpreted in terms of information processing and rehearsal prevention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)