Abstract
Three experiments were designed to investigate the influence of initial recall on memory by assessing delayed recall after different immediate cued-recall tests. In all experiments, subjects performed semantic and phonemic encoding tasks on a word list. The subjects then received a cued-recall test that cued the target using the same word as the context word in the encoding task, a test that cued the target with a word from the same level at which the target was encoded, a test that cued the target with a cue from a different level at which the target was encoded, or no immediate-recall test. One day later, the subjects performed a final cued-recall test in which the type of cue (semantic or phonemic) was varied. Consistently, delayed recall was facilitated primarily when the cue on the immediate test was from the same level as the cue on the delayed test. This pattern of facilitation suggests that immediate cued-recall produces an elaboration of an existing memory representation that is closely tied to the type of cue used on the immediate test.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Bartlett, J. C. (1977). Effects of immediate testing on delayed retrieval: Search and recovery operations with four types of cue.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Learning & Memory,3, 719–732.
Bartlett, J. C., &Tulving, E. (1974). Effects of temporal and semantic encoding in immediate recall upon subsequent retrieval.Journal of Verbal Learning & Verbal Behavior,13, 297–309.
Bjork, R. A. (1975). Retrieval as a memory modifier: An interpretation of negative recency and related phenomena. In R. L. Solso (Ed.),Information processing and cognition (pp. 123–144). New York: Wiley.
Bjork, R A., Hofacker, C., & Burns, M. J (1981, November). An “effectiveness-ratio” measure of tests as learning events. Paper presented at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Philadelphia.
Craik, F I. M. (1981). Encoding and retrieval effects in human memory: A partial review. In J. Long & A. Baddeley (Eds.),Attention and performance (Vol. 9, pp. 383–402). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Darley, C. F., &Murdock, B. B. (1971). Effects of prior free recall testing on final recall and recognition.Journal of Experimental Psychology,91, 66–73.
Fisher, R. P., &Craik, F. I. M. (1977). Interaction between encoding and retrieval operations in cued recall.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Learning & Memory,3, 701–711.
Hanawalt, N. G., &Tarr, A. G. (1961). The effect of recall upon recognition.Journal of Experimental Psychology,62, 361–367.
Hogan, R. I., &Kintsch, W. (1971). Differential effects of study and test trials on long-term recognition and recall.Journal of Verbal Learning & Verbal Behavior,10, 562–567.
Lockhart, R. S. (1975). The facilitation of recognition by recall.Journal of Verbal Learning & Verbal Behavior,14, 253–258.
McDanxel, M. A., Friedman, A., &Bourne, L. E., Jr. (1978). Remembering the levels of information in words.Memory & Cognition,6, 156–164.
McDaniel, M. A., &Masson, M. E. (1977). Long-term retention: When incidental semantic processing fails.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Learning & Memory,3, 270–281.
McDaniel, I. A., &Masson, M. E. J. (1985). Altering memory representation through retrieval.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition,11, 371–385.
Reder, L. M., &Wible, C. (1984). Strategy use in question-answering: Memory strength and task constraints on fan effects.Memory & Cognition,12, 411–419.
Runquist, W. N. (1982). Accessibility of information to extralist cues following periods of disuse.Journal of Verbal Learning & Verbal Behavior,21, 563–577.
Runquist, W. N. (1983). Some effects of remembering on forgetting.Memory & Cognition,11, 641–650.
Tulving, E., &Thomson, D. I. (1973). Encoding specificity and retrieval processes in episodic memory.Psychological Review,80, 352–373.
Wenger, S. K., Thompson, C. E., &Bartling, C. A. (1980). Recall facilitates subsequent recognition.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Learning & Memory,6, 135–144.
Whitten, W. B. (1978). Initial-retrieval “depth” and the negative recency effect.Memory & Cognition,6, 590–598.
Whitten, W. B., &Bjork, R. A. (1977). Learning from tests: Effects of spacing:Journal of Verbal Learning & Verbal Behavior,16, 465–478.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Preparation of this article was supported in part by National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Grant HD23984.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
McDaniel, M.A., Kowitz, M.D. & Dunay, P.K. Altering memory through recall: The effects of cue-guided retrieval processing. Mem Cogn 17, 423–434 (1989). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03202614
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03202614