In episodic recognition memory, differentiation is the assumption that a study item's pre-existing memory trace is updated when additional study for that item is provided. The differentiation models commonly suppose that episodic memory encoding conforms to this process. Although these models have received considerable support within the literature, results inconsistent with their predictions have also been found. The present paper examined conflicting findings that resulted from study list strength manipulations with rhyming word stimuli and semantically related stimuli. As part of the investigation into this discrepancy, 79 university students participated in a computer-based recognition memory task. In this task, word categories of varying length (short vs. long) and word type (rhyming vs. taxonomic) were presented either five times or once within a mixed study list. Following study, an old-new response paradigm was used to examine recognition memory performance. Results from both the rhyming and taxonomic category stimuli were largely consistent with the previous findings in the literature, indicating that word type does appear to influence recognition memory, even within a mixed study list. These findings are interpreted primarily in terms of word type similarity predictions made by one of the differentiation models. Other possible explanations are also discussed.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/256435 |
| Creators | McFarlane, Kimberley A. |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Detected Language | English |
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