The modality effect in free and serial recall as a function of phonological similarity

Abstract

Subjects read lists of phonologically similar words (such as bud, cub, tuck, bug, duck , …) or lists of phonologically dissimilar words (such as bead, cab, tick, bog, deck , …) under instructions either for free or for serial recall; additionally, reading was either silent or overt. In free recall primary memory capacity was not affected by phonological similarity, whereas an advantage for the overt over the silent presentation mode was observed with the dissimilar but not the similar lists. Further, phonological similarity reduced the size of the modality effect in serial recall. Apart from its interactive effects with mode of presentation, the effect of similarity on free recall was beneficial for all except the recency items, whereas similarity reduced performance in serial recall. These results in particular allow dismissal of some hypotheses for the modality effect, and in general pose a problem for theories of how similarity affects memory.