Immediate free recall and three-week delayed recognition

Abstract

Twenty-five S s were shown 10 lists of words, each list followed by a free-recall test. Overt rehearsal of the word lists was required during study and was tape-recorded. Three weeks later S s returned for a recognition test on these words. Initial recall and three-week delayed recognition were increasing functions of amount of rehearsal accorded the item. The probability of delayed recognition decreased as a function of the initial serial study position, and appeared to increase as a function of its output position on initial recall. Further analysis of this latter result suggested that delayed recognition first rises and then falls as a function of output position in initial recall.