The aim of this study was to demonstrate the effect of message structure, message length, and presentation rate upon auditory short-term memory. Subjects were asked to reproduce in writing messages at different levels of “grammaticalness” (Coleman, 1965) presented through headphones at 3–4 words/sec. or 6–7 words/ sec. There was better recall of the more structured, shorter, and slower messages. The results are discussed in terms of acquisition and encoding of information.
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