The identity model and factors controlling the superiority of the study-test method over the anticipation method

Short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM) components are assumed to overlap in such a way that the response reflects predominantly STM components in short retention intervals but LTM ones in long retention intervals. Based on the STM and LTM overlap hypothesis, the identity model postulates that basic processes per study, test, and intervening study and test events as well as intercycle intervals, respectively, are the same for both anticipation and study-test methods in cued (paired-associate) recall and recognition (verbal discrimination learning). A crucial difference between the two methods is the differential retention interval distribution (containing an overlap area). Amounts of STM components in the short-term store (STS), that is, critical items, seem to control the varied superiority of the study-test method over the anticipation method. This is directly linked to the learning difficulty dimension, which in turn is determined by such variables as list length, learning materials, exposure durations (presentation rates), acquisition stages, learning ability, developmental stages (ages), and others.