Residual processing capacity during verbal organization in memory

Tracking performance within two temporally defined memory stages reflected processing demands as the following variables were investigated: blocked versus nonblocked presentation, association strength to a category, and number of list presentations.

Abstract

Continuous compensatory tracking performed concurrently with a verbal memory task was used to monitor the information-processing demands of memory. Tracking performance within two temporally defined memory stages (encoding and retrieval) reflected processing demands as the following variables were investigated: blocked versus nonblocked presentation, association strength to a category, and number of list presentations. These variables were manipulated in an attempt to isolate the memory stage in which organization occurs. Adding a memory task to the tracking task caused a consistent decrement in tracking performance. More processing was required for retrieval from memory than for encoding. Finally, retrieval of the blocked lists required less processing on succeeding trials, whereas retrieval of nonblocked lists required equal amounts of processing over trials.