Related Experiment Videos
Contingent dissociation between recognition and fragment completion: the method of triangulation
1Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Summary
Memory retrieval methods were tested using two experiments. Cued recall showed stronger dependency between memory tests compared to fragment completion, supporting specific memory system theories.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Experimental Psychology
Background:
- Contingency analyses are used to assess relationships between successive memory tests.
- The transfer-appropriate procedural (TAP) approach suggests memory performance depends on the match between retrieval processes and encoding conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utility of contingency analyses in understanding memory.
- To compare the dependency between recognition and subsequent retrieval tasks under different conditions.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments employed a triangulation logic with word lists.
- Subjects underwent a recognition test followed by a second test with fragment cues.
- Retrieval instructions for the second test varied: cued recall versus fragment completion.
Main Results:
- A higher dependency (Yule's Q) was found between recognition and cued recall compared to recognition and fragment completion.
- This pattern was consistent across both experiments.
Conclusions:
- Contingency analyses are useful for evaluating memory test dependencies.
- Results align with theoretical frameworks integrating quasi-memory systems and the TAP approach.