The relationship between sign and verbal learning was explored using 10 severely mentally retarded adults. They were taught color labels in sign, verbal, or sign and verbal groups. Sign labels tended to be learned more efficiently; combined sign and verbal training improved verbal learning but not sign learning. (Author/CM)

Five experiments were conducted that illustrate microprocesses of discourse comprehension related to foregrounding. An intermediate case in which prior memories exist but must be reinstated to active memory was studied in detail. (SW)

An analysis was performed of multiple-choice tests in terms of the frequency theory of recognition memory. High and low ability children listened to sentences under different instructional sets (imagery rating and sentence repetition) and were later tested with multiple-choice alternatives: (1) either identical or similar in meaning to the…

This study examined the interrelationships among a number of episodic memory tasks and among various attributes of memory. A sample of 200 college students was tested for ten sessions; 28 different measures of episodic memory were obtained. In addition, five measures of semantic memory were available. Results indicated that episodic and semantic…

Three experiments test the relationship between implicit speech and comprehension processes for meaningful material. (Author/AM)

Reported is a study of the effect of aural versus verbal mode of presentation of tasks compared with respect to their effect on the degree of lateral transfer. Three tasks each requiring the derivation of a general rule describing a multiplicative relationship were selected. Pretesting on the final task and two transfer tasks using tasks presented…

Retroactive interference (RI) in prose learning was investigated in an experiment where passages were constructed on the basis of a predetermined logical structure. This structure made it possible to operationally define similarity and assess the effects of RI for inferential information as well as that stated directly in the original passage.…

The role of meaning in the learning of verbally presented paired associates (PAs) is described by means of an experiment with a replication. A printed PA list containing six different types of items was presented to Sixth Graders. Four of the item types consisted of sentence-embedded PAs on the study trials, followed by test trial cues varying in…

An experiment designed to test the generality of Paivio's two factor theory of meaning to sentence comprehension was carried out, and two scoring procedures were investigated: a verbatim score in which sentence elements had to be recalled exactly as they appeared in the original, and a substance score in which synonyms were accepted. The subjects…

Forty-eight grade-three children and 48 grade-eight children were presented respectively with six- and eight-letter sequences for written free recall. The older children, as had adult subjects in previous studies, showed a greater tendency to recall serially with a four-letters-per-second presentation rate than with a half- or…

Evaluates the findings and measurement techniques about the incidence and role of internal speech in the information processing abilities of preschool and primary-grade children. (RL)