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Effects of imagery on perceptual implicit tests of memory

Experiments reported here demonstrate that imagery can promote priming on perceptual implicit memory tests. In Experiment 1, when subjects were given words during a study phase and asked to form mental images of corresponding pictures, more priming was obtained on a picture fragment identification test than from a condition in which subjects performed a semantic analysis of words. Experiments 2a and 2b replicated the finding of imaginal priming. In Experiment 3, imaginal priming of picture fragment identification occurred for recoverable fragments, but not nonrecoverable fragments. Experiment 4 showed that the imagery effect was restricted to the imaged type of material: imagining pictures (when presented with words) primed picture fragment identification but not word fragment completion. Similarly, when pictures were presented, imagining the corresponding words primed word fragment completion but not picture fragment identification. Overall, results support the hypothesis that imagining engages the same mechanisms used in perception, thereby producing priming.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:RICE/oai:scholarship.rice.edu:1911/13868
Date January 1994
CreatorsMcDermott, Kathleen Blyth
ContributorsRoediger, Henry L., III
Source SetsRice University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis, Text
Format57 p., application/pdf

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