An experiment is reported which investigated the use of semantic relatedness as a retrieval cue in the primary memory component in a free recall task. Six-word semantically related clusters were placed in the middle and end positions of free recall lists. Retention was measured immediately after the list presentation and after a filled retention interval of 15 sec. Pure primary memory functions were calculated. The results indicated that semantic cues are useful in retrieval from secondary memory but played no part in recall from primary memory.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BaddeleyA. D. (1966a). Short-term memory for word sequences as a function of acoustic, semantic and formal similarity. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology18, 312–65.
2.
BaddeleyA. D. (1966b). The influence of acoustic and semantic similarity on long-term memory for word sequences. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology18, 302–9.
3.
BaddeleyA. D. (1970). Estimating the short-term component in free recall. British Journal of Psychology61, 13–5.
4.
BattigW. F.MontagueW. E. (1969). Category norms for verbal items in 56 categories: a replication and extension of the Connecticut category norms. Journal Experimental Psychology Monographs80, No. 3, Part 2.
5.
CraikF. I. M.LevyB. A. (1970). Semantic and acoustic information in primary memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology86, 77–82.
6.
GlanzerM.CunitzA. R. (1966). Two storage mechanisms in free recall. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behaviour5, 351–60.
7.
KintschW.BuschkeH. (1969). Homophones and synonyms in short-term memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology80, 403–7.
8.
LevyB. A.MurdochB. B.Jr. (1968). The effects of delayed auditory feedback and intralist similarity in short-term memory. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behaviour7, 887–94.
9.
TulvingE.PattersonR. D. (1968). Functional units and retrieval processes in free recall. Journal of Experimental Psychology77, 239–48.
10.
WaughN. C.NormanD. A. (1965). Primary memory. Psychological Review72, 89–104.
