Item-Specific Interference and List Discrimination in Free Recall

Abstract

Summary In two retroactive inhibition experiments (N = 112, N = 72, respectively) using the free-recall paradigm, memorized two successive lists of nouns and completed a retention test in which they recalled either the first or both lists. Ss who during learning trials used the same retrieval strategy on the first and second lists remembered less of the first list than Ss who used different strategies on both lists. Ss who recalled both lists on the retention test recalled less of the first list than those who recalled only the first list. Discussed were implications for current hypotheses about interference.