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Exceptions to recognition failure as a function of the encoded association between cue and target
1Department of Psychology, Stanford University, CA 94305.
Memory & Cognition
|March 1, 1991
Summary
Memory recall and recognition failure rates are generally consistent. However, shallow encoding and weak word associations disrupt this pattern, suggesting strong cue-target links are vital for memory models.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Memory Research
Background:
- The relationship between recall and recognition is a fundamental aspect of memory research.
- The Tulving-Wiseman function describes the invariant relation between recognition failure and overall recognition rates.
- Factors influencing recall and recognition independently may affect this relationship.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how the integration of word pairs (A-B) influences the recall-recognition failure relationship.
- To examine the impact of encoding depth and association strength on memory performance.
- To test the necessity of strong cue-target associations for adherence to the Tulving-Wiseman function.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted using A-B word pairs.
- Experiment 1 manipulated encoding depth (shallow vs. semantic).
- Experiment 2 varied the association strength between category-instance pairs.
Main Results:
- Shallow, nonsemantic encoding led to deviations from the Tulving-Wiseman function predictions.
- Weakly associated word pairs caused greater deviations than strongly associated pairs.
- Strongly encoded associations between cue and target elements were necessary for data to align with the Tulving-Wiseman function.
Conclusions:
- The integration and association strength of memory elements significantly impact recall-recognition dynamics.
- Strong cue-target associations are crucial for maintaining the invariance predicted by the Tulving-Wiseman function.
- Findings have implications for refining general models of human memory and associative learning.