Serial position effects in visual short-term memory for words and abstract spatial patterns.
Two experiments tested the effects of list position, and retention-interval in recognition for two distinct stimulus categories in young adults. Stimulus categories were spatial abstract patterns and words presented on a computer screen. At short delay intervals recency effects predominates and at longer delay intervals a primacy effect predominates in both experiments, indicating similar basic memory processes producing the serial position functions for the two different categories of visual stimuli, but as length of retention-interval increases, memory for first list items improves for words and remains constant for abstract patterns. Recency functions are similar for both stimulus categories tested.
Department of Psychosomatic and Behavioral Medicine, National Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
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MS
Korsnes
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S
Magnussen
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Reinvang
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D011939:Mental Recall; D009949:Orientation; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D012691:Serial Learning; D014706:Verbal Learning