Serial position and the “labor-in-vain” effect

Abstract

Serial input position functions were derived for means of the median self-paced study latencies and corresponding mean probabilities of recall memory for 27 consonant trigrams, whose overall means were previously reported by Nelson and Leonesio (1988, Experiment 1). Results of this analysis suggest that subjects “laboring” under accuracy instructions show a steeper linear rate of decrease in allocation of study times across serial input positions than do subjects laboring under speed instructions. Linear decreases in study times correspond to curvilinear (primacy and recency) changes in probability of recall memory. These data are consistent with previous research demonstrating the facilitation and attenuation of primacy and recency effects. These data are also consistent with notions of a memory system that allows for the monitoring of mnemonic success and allocation of effort on an item-per-item basis.