Research article summary (published 30 Oct 1992):

Sentence encoding and implicitly activated memories.

Full Abstract

Some words have fewer direct associates than others, and, when words varying in set size are studied in a list-learning task, those with smaller sets are more likely to be recalled. This set-size effect is found in cued recall when the words are studied in the absence of related words, but not when studied in the presence of related words. Related words provide context and theoretically inhibit irrelevant associates. The present research determined that set-size effects are found when words are encoded in sentence contexts. In contrast to list-learning experiments, the results of three experiments found such effects even when lexically related words were present in the sentences. Other findings indicated that target-set-size effects were determined by the proximity of related words in the sentence and the nature of the test cue. The results are discussed in relation to a model for explaining set-size effects and to selective findings from the sentence-comprehension literature.

Author information

Author/s: Nelson, D L (DL); Gee, N R (NR); Schreiber, T A (TA);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa 33620.

Grants: MH 16360 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Memory & cognition (Mem Cognit), published in UNITED STATES. (Language: eng)

Reference: 1992-Nov; vol 20 (issue 6) : pp 643-54

Dates: Created 1992/12/17; Completed 1992/12/17; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 1435267, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult Attention Humans Mental Recall

Paired-Associate Learning Reaction Time Retention (Psychology) Semantics

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