Clustering and Sequential Ordering in Multitrial Free Recall as a Function of Meaningfulness

Abstract

A 15-item CVC list representing 3 categories of meaningfulness (M), High, Medium and Low, was learned for 16 alternating presentation-free-recall trials under conditions of either Immediate (I), or Delayed (D) recall. In the D Condition, a 30-sec. task-filled interval preceded each recall trial. Substantial organization in recall showing both M clustering and sequential ordering occurred primarily in the D Condition. Recall was higher and more stable in the D than in the I Condition. The Low M category was most prominent in contributing to condition differences in recall strategies and performance. Condition differences were attributed to the greater use by I than D Ss of short-term recall strategies. Two possible sources for discriminating the M of a CVC were discussed: (a) the size of its associative hierarchy and (b) its similarity to a word.