Prestimulus and poststimulus cuing of recall order in the memory span

Abstract

Permutations of nine-digit sequences were recalled in either forward (F) or backward (B) order with order of recall cued either before the sequences (Prestimulus Cuing) or after the sequences (Poststimulus Cuing). Prestimulus Cuing produced significantly better recall than Poststimulus Cuing and F recall was superior to B recall, with a significant interaction between the two main effects. The shapes of the serial position curves for F and B recall were relatively unchanged by the position of cuing recall order, although the level of performance was lower in the Prestimulus Cuing condition. © 1968, Psychonomic Journals. All rights reserved.