Directed forgetting with global forget instructions in an implicit and explicit memory test

This study examined differences in directed forgetting effects between an implicit and an explicit memory test. 64 students (49 men, 15 women) were assigned to 4 (2 x 2) groups. In the middle of the study list, the group was given instruction to forget the presented item, whereas the control instruction group was not. Half of the subjects were given a Fragment Cued-recall test as an explicit memory test, and the other half were given a Fragment Completion test as an implicit memory test. Subjects learned an incidental learning task. Significant differences were found across conditions for instruction. The directed forgetting effect was observed on the explicit memory test (p<.05) but not on the implicit memory test. These results are discussed in terms of inhibition of retrieval theory.