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Target similarity effects: support for the parallel distributed processing assumptions
M S Humphreys1, G Tehan, A O'Shea
1Department of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. mh@psy.uq.edu.au
Memory & Cognition
|September 13, 2000
Summary
Memory recall is influenced by target word similarity, impacting cued recall but not free association. Repetition did not enhance performance in free association tasks, challenging existing memory models.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Human Memory Research
- Implicit Memory Studies
Background:
- Investigates assumptions of composite memory storage and parallel access.
- Builds upon prior models of memory implementation (Chappell & Humphreys, 1994).
Purpose of the Study:
- To test new predictions derived from composite memory and parallel access assumptions.
- To examine the effect of target similarity on memory performance.
- To evaluate the impact of spaced repetition on implicit memory.
Main Methods:
- Subjects studied short word lists with similar or dissimilar targets associated with a single cue.
- Cued recall and free association tasks were employed.
- Experiments included spaced presentations of target words.
Main Results:
- Target similarity significantly affected cued recall performance.
- Target similarity did not influence free association performance.
- Spaced repetition did not improve performance in free association, contrary to predictions.
Conclusions:
- Findings support composite memory storage and parallel access models.
- Alternative explanations involving separate representations and sequential search are rejected.
- Repetition's lack of effect in implicit memory paradigms is a significant finding.