Recognition of homogeneous and heterogeneous pictures as a function of viewing context

Abstract

Although recognition memory for pictorial stimuli has been explored using either homogeneous or heterogeneous picture sets, apparently no single study has combined these stimuli and subsequently tested recognition for both types of stimuli. Subjects in two experiments were administered one of three picture sets of 100 slides. Each set consisted of homogeneous and hetero geneous slides that differed only in the ratio of homogeneous to heterogeneous stimuli: 80:20, 50:50, or 20:80. A subject’s recognition memory was then examined for both types of slides. Overall recognition was high for the heterogeneous stimuli but low for the homogeneous test slides. In a signal detection analysis, the picture set involving the largest proportion of heterogeneous stimuli, 20:80, yielded the lowest recognition sensitivity to the heterogeneous stimuli. This interaction of viewing-set composition and type of test stimuli was discussed in relation to picture recognition memory research employing either homogeneous or heterogeneous stimuli.