Abstract
The processing capacity available for rehearsing sequences of 10 random consonants was varied during a 5-sec retention interval. There was a systematic decline in the end peak of the serial-position curve as the information load of the interpolated task was increased; but the first positions were disrupted by a constant amount, regardless of the difficulty of the interpolated task. The results suggest that all verbal interpolated tasks interfere to an equal extent with the active verbal processes used to maintain the structure of STM and that the difficulty level of an interpolated task is only a determinant of recall for those relatively unprocessed items which have not been incorporated into the STM structure.
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This research was supported by Grant APA-231 from the National Research Council of Canada to the second author. E. Vern Copeland deserves thanks for collection of the data.
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Lowe, D.G., Merikle, P.M. Interpolation effects in short-term memory. Psychon Sci 22, 89–91 (1971). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03332508
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03332508