In two experiments using the Brown-Peterson memory paradigm, instructions to guess had small effects on recall, but sizeable effects on incidence of prior list intrustion. However, results indicate that proactive interference is primarily the result of inability to generate correct items, rather than confusion between present and previous items.…

When subjects utter a series of redundant sounds while memorizing word lists, performance is impaired and phonemic similarity effect is reduced. Experiments explored the influence of articulatory suppression on free recall; neither showed interaction between suppression and serial position. Recency effect may not reflect short-term phonemic store.…

In two experiments on free and cued recall, spacing between categorically related items, presentation rate and category size were varied and the effects on recall of items as a function of their serial order were studied. Results suggest subjects organize material during acquisition by retrieving and rehearsing previously studied items. (CHK)

One hundred forty-four subjects received 4 Brown-Peterson trials with recall triads from a common encoding category. Items on three trials were from a common subset, while on the fourth, the subset was shifted or not, and a cue was presented or not. The cue influenced response generation, a shift improved recall. (CHK)

Research supported by a grant from the U.S. Office of Education. (RS)

The relation between the amount of free study time needed to prepare for a perfect serial recitation and the number of words in the list was determined for individual subjects. List organization, controlled by experimenter or by subject, failed to affect difficulty. (CHK)