Word imagery in recognition memory

Abstract

Recognition memory was assessed for words of high- and low-rated imagery after subjects had either spelled them backwards or listened to them in the usual way. The reverse spelling task eliminated the superiority of the high-imagery words in recognition which was shown in the standard condition. While this outcome supports the dual-code hypothesis, the results are complicated by some evidence that low -imagery words are structurally more complex, a factor which may favor their recognition under conditions which require special attention to orthographic features. © 1975, The Psychonomic Society, Inc.. All rights reserved.