The 6 “entry points” (EPs) reported for the English alphabet correspond to the pauses of the “Alphabet Song.” The hypothesis that the EPs are fictitious (because they would just reflect the pauses of the song) was tested experimentally using the Italian alphabet, which is learned without the use of any rhythmical song. Seven EPs were found also for the Italian alphabet. However, in a second experiment the majority of subjects scanned the Italian alphabet with the same preferred rhythmical recitation, the pauses of which correspond to the EPs. These results suggest that the interpretation of EPs as entities should be cautious.
ChaseW. G.EricssonK. A.Skill and working memory. In BowerG. H. (Ed.), Psychology of learning and motivation. Vol. 16. New York: Academic Press, 1982. Pp 1–58
3.
KlahrD.ChaseW. G.LovelaceE. A.Structure and process in alphabetic retrieval. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 1983, 9, 462–477.
