Effects of verbatim information on recognition of S-O-V sentences under incidental learning

Abstract

By means of a delayed recognition task, propositions were tested about the retention of verbatim information on Japanese S-O-V sentences based on spreading activation in memory representations. Subjects studied written sentences under incidental instructions, and a recognition test was made after a 10-minute delay. In the test, subjects verified whether the sentences were true or false for (a) original sentences, (b) synonymous distractors (verbs replaced by synonyms), and (c) non-synonymous distractors (verbs replaced by non-synonyms). In Experiment I, subjects verified original sentences more accurately, faster, and more confidently than those having distractors. Results of Experiment II, in which subjects retrieved two related sentences sequentially, showed an inhibition (fan) effect for hits. In addition, there was a facilitation (priming) effect for correct rejections. These findings provide evidence in support of the spreading activation theory of memory. © 1987, The Japanese Psychological Association. All rights reserved.