The role of recall time in producing hypermnesia

Abstract

In two experiments subjects presented with either words or pictures showed improved recall over three successive recall tests for both types of materials, partially replicating Erdelyi's finding of hypermnesia. However, these subjects did not recall more unique items than other subjects who received only one test equated in time with the three shorter ones. It is concluded that hypermnesia results from simply allowing subjects additional recall time. In a third experiment subjects were shown to recall additional information even after a long recall period employed during an experimental session. This surprising amount of item recovery during long recall periods is attributed to the use of subjective retrieval cues that are thought to function in a manner analogous to externally manipulated cues. © 1978 Psychonomic Society, Inc.