Visual and Auditory Stores in Short-term Memory

Abstract

If retrieval in short-term memory can be either from a pre-perceptual sensory store or from a post-perceptual memory then recall should vary as a function of input into sensory store. To test this possibility two experiments with paired associates compared visual and auditory presentation under conditions as comparable as possible. In both experiments modality interacted with retention interval: more recency with auditory but, in Experiment I, more primacy with visual. The interaction was taken as support for the hypothesis. An alternative hypothesis (that storage is post-perceptual but not a-historical) was discussed and weak negative evidence presented.