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The word-frequency paradox for recall/recognition occurs for pictures

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Abstract

A yes-no recognition task and two recall tasks were conducted using pictures of high and low familiarity ratings. Picture familiarity had analogous effects to word frequency, and replicated the word-frequency paradox in recall and recognition. Low-familiarity pictures were more recognizable than high-familiarity pictures, pure lists of high-familiarity pictures were more recallable than pure lists of low-familiarity pictures, and there was no effect of familiarity for mixed lists. These results are consistent with the predictions of the Search of Associative Memory (SAM) model.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Clifford A. Larochel, Andrea J. Ardouin, and Rossanna Lee in testing the participants.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Psychology, University of Oslo, Box 1094, 0317, Oslo, Norway

    Paul Johan Karlsen

  2. New York University, USA

    Joan Gay Snodgrass

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  1. Paul Johan Karlsen
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  2. Joan Gay Snodgrass
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Correspondence to Paul Johan Karlsen.

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Karlsen, P.J., Snodgrass, J.G. The word-frequency paradox for recall/recognition occurs for pictures. Psychological Research 68, 271–276 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-003-0138-5

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