Automatic and Controlled Retrieval Processes in an Explicit Memory Test
Erica Kim · McNair Scholars Research Journal · 1999
There are conflicting findings in the literature as to whether retrieval processes in an explicit memory t of words are controlled or automatic.To test which of these claims is true, an experiment was conduct in which levels of processing (LOP) was rnanipulated at study and response deadline was manipulated test.The LOP manipulation consisted of deep (semantic) or shallow (perceptual) processing of words study.Subjects were given an oral stem-cued recall test.Subject's time to respond to each stem was 2 s, 1.3 s, or 0.8 s. Results showed that recall of deeply studied words decreased as deadline decreas but recall of shallowly studied words remained stable.In addition, a significant correlation was observ between performance in the shallow study condition and the baseline condition, whereas no su correlation was observed between performance in the deep condition and performance in the baseli condition.It is argued that the effects of deadline and the pattern of correlations indicate that b controlled and automatic retrieval processes were present at test.