When do interleaved suffixes improve recall?

Abstract

Recall of auditory lists of items is greatly impaired if an irrelevant auditory stimulus (a stimulus suffix) intervenes between the final item and recall. Previous studies have found conflicting results on the question of whether this inhibitory suffix effect is reduced if suffixes are presented after every list item, as well as after the final item. The present series of experiments resolves this conflict. Interleaved suffixes reduce the inhibitory effect of a terminal suffix if item information is required at recall. If the items are well learned and only order information is required in recall, interleaved suffixes do not reduce the terminal suffix effect. Suffixes have separable effects on the recall of item and order information.