In order to determine whether memory search for movements was based on the familiarity (Atkinson & Juola, 1973, 1974) of the movements, the search processes involved in a short-term motor memory paradigm were investigated. Additionally, tests were made to determine whether subjects arranged the randomly presented memory set in sequential order to facilitate scanning. Tests for increases in reaction time (RT) with set size were also conducted. Subjects were required to remember a series of 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 movements in a memory set as administered with a linear-positioning task. Upon completion of a memory set, subjects were presented a comparison movement. It was either the same length as one of the memory set movements ("yes" response) or a different length ("no" response). Twelve subjects completed three consecutive days of testing. On Day 1, RT and movement lengths were practiced. Memory sets were also practiced on Day 1. On Day 2, subjects were required to search a memory set of movements and respond "yes" or "no" by lifting the appropriate finger. This response terminated a RT search clock. Subjects also rated (1 to 5 scale) how sure they were their response was correct. The same procedures were followed on Day 3. The serial-position analyses of variance indicated a strong recency effect and slight primacy effect for the error rates and confidence ratings of set sizes 4 and 5. The error rates showed the same effect for set sizes 2 and 3. The RT data were not significant yet they paralled the other measures. Additionally, subjects did not seem to sequentially organize the memory set according to movement length. Finally, there was a set size main effect for all three dependent measures. From these data it was concluded that the Atkinson and Juola (1973, 1974) framework is a more compatible model to describe motor information than Sternberg's (1969a, 1969b, 1975) model. Moreover, the larger sets required more time to scan than the smaller sets. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 44-11, Section: A, page: 3319. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1983.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_75196 |
| Contributors | LUCARIELLO, GEORGANN., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 137 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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