Short-Term memory isolation: Null, facilitative, and debilitative effects and their preconditions

Document Type

Article

Publication Source

Journal of General Psychology

Publication Date

1980-01-01

Volume

103

Issue

2

First Page

171

Last Page

178

Abstract

This study attempted to account for the three possible outcomes which result from creating an outstanding item in a serial list. The existing literature reports null, facilitative, and debilitative effects on overall list performance. Eighty-two male and female undergraduates were shown either a simultaneously or successively presented 11-item list of letters and instructed for immediate recall. The isolate, which appeared in the middle of the list, consisted of either a CCC trigram larger than the other consonants in the list or a large and meaningful CVC. Evidence supporting null, facilitative, and localized debilitative effects was considered. The preconditions for these various effects resulting from item isolation were presented. © 1980 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

DOI

10.1080/00221309.1980.9920996

https://doi.org/10.1080/00221309.1980.9920996

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