Encoding of Semantic Word Relationships during Verbal Learning

Abstract

This study examined the differential impact among semantic word relationships, i.e., superordinate, subordinate, and attribute, in the usefulness of forming a trace for verbal recognition. Besides examining the impact of semantic word relationships, the ability of the subject to use such relationships in a verbal learning task was also studied. A 3 × 3 × 2 factorial design was applied to the three types of word relationships, three types of instructions to use one of the three word relationships deliberately, and the effect of one or two presentations of target items on the word list. Reaction times were used to check differences in the correct response “No” to distractors on a recognition task that varied according to semantic word relationships to the target word in the word list. Reaction times were further analyzed to see if the semantic instructions for encoding to the subjects differed and whether the number of presentations produced differences in reaction time. There was a significant effect for the type of semantic relationship that a distractor had and for semantic encoding instructions to the subject. However, there was no significant difference between one or two presentations. The interaction of type × criterion (practice) seemed to indicate that the encoding preference for certain semantic relationships did shift between practice trials.