The influence of word-knowledge on the word-frequency effect in recognition memory

Abstract

This experiment was conducted in an attempt to separate the effects of word-frequency and word-knowledge in recognition memory. Operating characteristics supported previous findings that it was easier for Ss to distinguish between old and new words having a low-frequency word count than between old and new common words. A knowledge of the meaning of a rare word was found to facilitate the discrimination of old from new low-frequency words. © 1968, Psychonomic Journals. All rights reserved.