Abstract
We examined whether retrieval from semantic memory (Experiment 1) and autobiographical memory (Experiment 2) is exclusive, or whether people can search for two things at once. In Experiment 1, participants retrieved items as quickly as possible over 4 min from single categories (e.g., foods, countries) and from disjunctive categories (e.g., foods or countries). In Experiment 2, participants retrieved autobiographical episodes associated with single cue words (e.g.,flower, ticket) or with disjunctive cue words (e.g.,flower orticket). In both experiments, retrieval of items from the disjunctive category did not exceed predictions based on optimal sequencing of retrieval from the corresponding two single categories. That is, exclusivity was observed to occur in retrieval from among multiple nonoverlapping categories in both semantic and autobiographical memory.
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This research was supported by grants from the Joint Infrastructure Fund (Economic and Social Research Council), The Leverhulme Trust, and by European Commission Grant RTN-HPRN-CT-1999-00065.
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Maylor, E.A., Chater, N. & Jones, G.V. Searching for two things at once: Evidence of exclusivity in semantic and autobiographical memory retrieval. Memory & Cognition 29, 1185–1195 (2001). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03206388
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03206388