Journal of Psychology & Behavioral Science

Reminiscence and Recovery from Part List Cuing
Jeffrey M. Brown

Abstract
Two experiments tested the hypothesis that reminiscence and hypermnesia in repeated testing are caused, at least in part, by recovery from initial output interference (Smith & Vela, 1991). Output interference was increased on an initial part-list cued recall test relative to an initial free recall test (e.g., Rundus, 1973). A second test (free recall) was then given to assess reminiscence (items recalled on the retest that had not been recalled on an earlier test) and hypermnesia (the net increase in recall from the initial test to a subsequent retest). Relative to having an initial uncued free recall test, there was greater reminiscence and hypermnesia when the initial test had part-list cues. Recovery from part-list cuing was shown to occur for both pictures and words in Experiment 1. In Experiment 2 the recovery effect was replicated, and further, reminiscence was greater when retesting was delayed. The results support the hypothesis that reminiscence and hypermnesia are due to recovery from output interference, and they further support a similar explanation that attributes incubation effects to recovery from initial blocking (e.g., Smith & Blankenship, 1991; Smith & Vela, 1991, Smith, 2011).

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jpbs.v13p3