Abstract
The duration of tachistoscopic exposure (2.5, 10, and 20 sec) for 10-item lists was manipualted in an attempt to emphasize either short-term (STM) or long-term (LTM) memory. A Duration by Isolation interaction was hypothesized such that overall performance for isolated and unisolated lists would not differ in STM but that the overall performance for isolated lists would be superior to unisolated lists in LTM. The hypothesis was not supported. Performance for isolated lists was found to be superior for all three duration conditions. This result was explained in terms of an effective shortening of the encoded list caused by the presence of an isolated item.
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Cimbalo, R.S., Pelonero, K.C. The isolation effect and mechanisms in short- and long-term memory. Psychon Sci 21, 69–70 (1970). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03335768
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03335768