Memory for noun pairs in the same or different underlying strings

A number of studies have shown that children learn noun pairs faster when they have been presented in a noun-verb-noun context than when they are presented in a noun-conjunction-noun context. Suzuki and Rohwer (1969) hypothesized that the underlying strings of sentences correspond to memory units, making it easier to recall two nouns from the same underlying string than from two different underlying strings. They reported that data from fifth graders supported this hypothesis but that data from college students did not. The experiments reported here were done to determine whether the hypothesis would be supported (a) if the test rate were faster than that used by Suzuki and Rohwer or (b) if sentences longer and more complex than those used by them were employed. The recall data accorded with some predictions derived from the hypothesis. However, data from Ss' posttraining reports on how they learned the pairs suggest that Ss, particularly adults, often made up their own strings rather than using those provided, and raise the question of the adequacy of Suzuki and Rohwer's procedure for testing this hypothesis, particularly in adults.