Cogprints

Word Free Recall Search Scales Linearly With Number of Items Recalled

Tarnow, Dr. Eugen (2013) Word Free Recall Search Scales Linearly With Number of Items Recalled. [Preprint]

Full text available as:

[img]
Preview
PDF
34Kb

Abstract

I find that the total search time in word free recall, averaged over item position, increases linearly with the number of items recalled. Thus the word free recall search algorithm scales the same as the low-error recognition of integers (Sternberg, 1966). The result suggests that both simple integer recognition and the more complex word free recall use the same search algorithm. The proportionality constant of 2-4 seconds per item (a hundred times larger than for integer recognition) is a power function of the proportion not remembered and seems to be the same function for word free recall in young and old subjects, high and low presentation rates and delayed and immediate free recall. The linear scaling of the search algorithm is different from what is commonly assumed to be the word free recall search algorithm, search by random sampling. The linearity of the word free recall extends down to 3 items which presents a challenge to the prevalent working memory theory in which 3-5 items are proposed to be stored in a separate high-availability store.

Item Type:Preprint
Keywords:Free recall; short term memory; memory search, Sternberg
Subjects:Psychology > Cognitive Psychology
Neuroscience > Computational Neuroscience
ID Code:8797
Deposited By: Tarnow, Dr. Eugen
Deposited On:07 Jan 2013 22:18
Last Modified:18 Feb 2013 15:08

References in Article

Select the SEEK icon to attempt to find the referenced article. If it does not appear to be in cogprints you will be forwarded to the paracite service. Poorly formated references will probably not work.

Cowan, Nelson; Rouder, Jeffrey N.; Blume, Christopher L.; Saults, J. Scott 2012 "Models of verbal working memory capacity: What does it take to make them work?" Psychological Review, Vol 119(3), Jul 2012, 480-499

Matthew Duncan, Bennet Murdock (2000) "Recognition and Recall with Precuing and Postcuing", Journal of Memory and Language Volume 42, Issue 3, April 2000, Pages 301–313.

Hintzman D, (2011), Research Strategy in the Study of Memory: Fads, Fallacies, and the Search for the "‘Coordinates of Truth", Perspectives on Psychological Science 6(3) 253–271.

Johnson DM, Johnson RC Mark AL (1951). A mathematical analysis of verbal fluency. J General Psychology 44, 121-128.

Kahana JM, Zaromb F, Wingfield A (2001) Age dissociates recency and lag-recency effects in free recall Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition 28(3) 530-540.Kahana M, Associative retrieval processes in free recall, Memory & Cognition 1996,24 (1), 103-109

Laming D (1999) Testing the Idea of Distinct Storage Mechanisms in Memory, International Journal of Psychology 34, 5-6, 419-426.

Murdock Jr., Bennet B. "The immediate retention of unrelated words. "Journal of Experimental Psychology, Vol 60(4), Oct 1960, 222-234

Murdock B (1962) The serial position effect of free recall Journal of Experimental Psychology 64(5) 482-488.

Rohrer D, Wixted J (1994) An analysis of latency and interresponse time in free recall, Memory & Cognition 22(5):511-524.

Tarnow E (2010) There is no capacity limited buffer in the Murdock (1962) free recall data. Cognitive Neurodynamics December 2010, Volume 4, Issue 4, pp 395-397

Tarnow E (2011) The free recall search process introduces errors in short term memory but apparently not in long term memory. See http://cogprints.org/7337/

Metadata

Repository Staff Only: item control page