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Two paradigms of measuring serial-order memory: two different patterns of serial-position functions

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Abstract

There are two research paradigms in the area of serial-order memory. One typically uses serial recall (accuracy), and the other comparative judgment (reaction time) for measuring serial-order memory. Spontaneous subgrouping is commonly observed in the recall serial-position function in the form of multiple bowings. However, comparative judgment with a reaction time measure produces a single-bowing function. Researchers adopting these two approaches have opposing views on the form of the structure of serial-order memory with the former favoring a hierarchical, and the latter a unidimensional structure. The present study confirmed the above hypothesized relation between the two measuring procedures and the two different patterns of serial-position functions. It was suggested that a serial recall involves retrieving absolute position information, whereas a comparative judgment involves retrieving relative position information, and that subgrouping serves a facilitating function for the former, but may actually impede the latter process.

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Notes

  1. Linear as used in this paper does not refer to a mathematical function. It simply means a series or string with only one single structural dimension rather than with a multilevel hierarchical structure.

  2. The stimulus used in a typical absolute identification task is usually a sensory or perceptual stimulus varying along a continuous dimension and the task is usually to uniquely map a magnitude of the stimulus onto a number on a numeric scale. The stimulus used in the present study was a verbal name. In that respect, the absolute identification task used in this study was different from a typical one. However, the verbal name was ordered on an ordinal scale and the task was to uniquely map a name onto a number on an ordinal scale in memory. In that sense, it was an absolute identification task.

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Acknowledgments

Portion of the research reported in this article was supported by National Institutes of Health MBRS grant 516393. I thank Stephan Lewandowsky and an anonymous reviewer for comments.

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  1. Department of Psychology and Anthropology, The University of Texas-Pan American, 1201 W. University Drive, Edinburg, TX, 78539-2999, USA

    Jerwen Jou

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Jou, J. Two paradigms of measuring serial-order memory: two different patterns of serial-position functions. Psychological Research 75, 202–213 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-010-0297-0

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