Response Recall and Retroactive Inhibition

Abstract

To the extent that response loss contributes to retroactive inhibition under the A-B, A-D paradigm, reinstatement of the responses prior to the test of retention should reduce the amount of interference. In the present experiment, the method of reinstatement consisted of an orienting task in which the subjects rated the first-list responses prior to the test of retention. The orienting task either was or was not followed by free recall of the responses. The reinstatement procedures and the test of retention occurred either immediately after the end of interpolated learning or after a delay. Relative to the appropriate control groups, performance of the orienting task significantly reduced the amount of retroactive inhibition. Recall was higher on the delayed than on the immediate test, but the reinstatement effects were comparable at the two retention intervals. Free recall of the responses tended to reduce rather than enhance the gains on the retention test. The results support the assumption that response loss is an important component of retroactive inhibition under the A-B, A-D paradigm.