There has been little research exploring whether different memory processes (i.e. related to short term memory (STM), working memory (WM) and long term memory (LTM) may be differentially sensitive to representation and processing aspects of compound words. This study investigated how compound words are represented in STM in immediate serial recall tasks and in WM in complex span tasks that combine processing and storage demands. The simple span STM task was comprised of solely a list of memory words, whereas the two complex span WM tasks interleaved sentence processing between presentation of memory words. They varied in the presence of a pause after presentation of each memory word and before onset of the following distractor sentence for processing. The absence of a pause was intended to minimize opportunity for subvocal rehearsal, whereas the presence of a pause encouraged rehearsal. To increase chances of recombination errors for error analyses, lists of memoranda were manipulated so that each set (list) of four compound words contained one “lure” pair (e.g. pinstripe + warhead = pinhead) in which the modifier and head constituents from separate compound words could recombine to form a new, legal word. Recall performance was better in the simple span and complex span pause tasks compared to the complex span no pause task. Whole compound and left constituent frequencies played opposite roles, helping and harming, respectively. Error types reflecting decomposition of the compound words to their constituents were more common in simple span than in complex span. Omissions were more common in complex span. We discuss how different memory processes may be differentially sensitive to representation and processing aspects, and how recall of compound words is affected by various lexical variables. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(教育学) / 甲第24988号 / 教博第297号 / 新制||教||221(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院教育学研究科教育学環専攻 / (主査)教授 齊藤 智, 教授 MANALO Emmanuel, 准教授 高橋 雄介 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Education) / Kyoto University / DGAM

It is well established that repeated testing is more beneficial for durable learning than repeated studying of the same material, a phenomenon known as the testing effect. This study sought to investigate the role of working memory capacity (WMC) in relation to the learning process and the difficulty of the material to be learned when using a test-enhanced learning method. As between subject manipulation, participants (n = 99, M = 25.62 years of age) were divided into two groups, one using repeated studying and one using alternated testing and studying. A material of two difficulty levels, as well as immediate and delayed retention tests, was used in each condition as within subject manipulation. Further, an n-back task was used to measure WMC. Results from mixed model ANOVAs showed no significant impact of WMC on either the learning process or retention in relation to the difficulty of the material. The testing condition performed significantly higher than the studying condition on the retention tests. The testing effect is further cemented as a promising method for practical application in the educational sector regardless of both WMC and difficulty level. / Det är väl etablerat att upprepad testning är mer fördelaktigt för hållbar inlärning än upprepad instudering av samma material, ett fenomen känt som testeffekten. Denna studie ämnade undersöka arbetsminnets roll i relation till inlärningsprocessen och svårighetsgrad av material med testbaserat lärande som metod. Som mellangruppsmanipulation delades deltagare (n = 99, M = 25.62 år gamla) in i två grupper, en som upprepade gånger studerade materialet och en som alternerade studerande med tester. Ett material med två svårighetsgrader och ett direkt samt fördröjda retentionstester användes som inomgruppsmanipulation. Vidare användes ett n-backtest som mått på arbetsminneskapacitet. Resultat visade ingen signifikant inverkan av arbetsminne på varken inlärningsprocessen eller retention i relation till svårighetsgrad av material. Testbetingelsen presterade signifikant högre på retentionstest än studiebetingelsen. Testeffekten fastställs ytterligare som lovande metodik för praktisk applikation i utbildningssektorn oberoende av både arbetsminneskapacitet och svårighetsgrad.