Primacy and Recency Effects in Immediate Free Recall of Sequences of Spatial Positions

2007 ◽  
Vol 105 (2) ◽  
pp. 483-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Bonanni ◽  
Patrizio Pasqualetti ◽  
Carlo Caltagirone ◽  
Giovanni Augusto Carlesimo
Keyword(s):  
Free Recall ◽  
Serial Position ◽  
Serial Position Curve ◽  
Presentation Rate ◽  
Recency Effect ◽  
Primacy Effect ◽  
Spatial Position ◽  
Recency Effects ◽  
Task Requirement ◽  
Recall Paradigm

This study evaluated the serial position curve based on free recall of spatial position sequences. To evaluate the memory processes underlying spatial recall, some manipulations were introduced by varying the length of spatial sequences (Exp. 1) and modifying the presentation rate of individual positions (Exp. 2). A primacy effect emerged for all sequence lengths, while a recency effect was evident only in the longer sequences. Moreover, slowing the presentation rate increased the magnitude of the primacy effect and abolished the recency effect. The main novelty of the present results is represented by the finding that better recall of early items in a sequence of spatial positions does not depend on the task requirement of an ordered recall but it can also be observed in a free recall paradigm.

Rehearsal Strategies and the Serial-Position Curve in Immediate Free Recall of Ordered Items

1970 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 347-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Herman Buschke ◽  
Walter Kintsch
Keyword(s):  
Free Recall ◽  
Serial Position ◽  
Serial Position Curve ◽  
Primacy Effect ◽  
Read Aloud ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Recall Order ◽  
Rehearsal Strategies ◽  
Serial Position Curves

Immediate free recall of random strings of 10 numbers was studied under four experimental conditions: as each number was presented, subjects either had to recall the previous number (Recall n–1), recall the number just presented (Recall n), read the number (Read aloud), or were silent (Free Recall). Overall recall was the same in all conditions. Recall and order of recall by serial-position changed systematically, with an increasing recency and decreasing primacy effect from Free Recall through Read Aloud and Recall n to Recall n–1. These changes in recall order and serial-position curves suggest that differential rehearsal of items is decreased by requiring retrieval during presentation.

Effects of Rehearsal Instructions on the Primacy Effect in Free Recall

1991 ◽  
Vol 68 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1371-1377
Author(s):  
Thomas G. Titus
Keyword(s):  
Free Recall ◽  
Serial Position ◽  
Serial Position Curve ◽  
Alternative Explanation ◽  
Primacy Effect ◽  
Von Restorff Effect ◽  
Primacy Effects ◽  
Rehearsal Condition

The effects of rehearsal on the primacy effect in the serial position curve were investigated. Subjects were instructed to either rehearse or not rehearse previous list items presented at the rate of 1 word/0.5 sec., 1 word/sec., and 1 word/2 sec. The differential rehearsal hypothesis predicted that primacy effects would be observed only in the rehearsal condition. An alternative explanation of the primacy effect in terms of the 1933 von Restorff effect and rehearsal predicted a primacy effect in both the rehearsal and nonrehearsal conditions, with a larger primacy effect in the former. Primacy effects were observed in all conditions but were not significantly larger in the rehearsal condition. The results supported the explanation which included the von Restorff effect.

Recency Effects and Distinctiveness of Position/Order Information

1990 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 259-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koichi Sato
Keyword(s):  
Free Recall ◽  
Serial Position ◽  
Distractor Condition ◽  
Item Information ◽  
Order Information ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Recency Effects ◽  
Serial Position Curves ◽  
Recall Paradigm

Temporal retrieval theory argues that both short-term and long-term recency effects reflect the distinctiveness of position/order information of recent items. The present study tested this proposal in both the standard immediate free-recall paradigm and the continuous-distractor paradigm. Serial-position curves of item information learned intentionally were compared to those of position/order information learned incidentally. In the immediate condition, similar recency effects were observed for item and position/order information; the correlation of item recency with position/order recency was significant. In the continuous-distractor condition, although significant recency effects were observed for item and position/order information, the correlation between them was low. These results suggest that the distinctiveness of position/order information contributes to short-term recency effects but not to long-term recency effects.

scholarly journals Time course of the physiological stress response to an acute stressor and its associations with the primacy and recency effect of the serial position curve

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Becker ◽  
Nicolas Rohleder
Keyword(s):  
Serial Position ◽  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Serial Position Curve ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Cold Pressor Test ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Recency Effect ◽  
Primacy Effect ◽  
Long Term Memory

AbstractWhether stress affects memory depends on which stress pathway becomes activated and which specific memory system is involved. The activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), leads to a release of catecholamines. The activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leads to a release of glucocorticoids. In thus study, it was investigated whether SNS and/or HPA axis activation are associated with long-term memory (LTM) and/or working memory (WM) performance in humans. Thirty-three participants underwent the socially evaluated cold-pressor test. Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) was used as a marker for the activation of the SNS and cortisol as marker for HPA axis activation. Memory was assessed by means of word lists with 15 words each. The primacy effect (i.e., the correctly recalled words from the beginning of the lists) of the serial position curve was considered as indicator for LTM. The recency effect (i.e., the correctly recalled words from the end of the lists) were used as estimator for WM performance. In sAA responders, the recency effect and, therefore, WM performance increased immediately after the stressor. This was not found in sAA non-responders. In cortisol responders, the primacy effect and, thus, LTM performance decreased 20 minutes after the stressor. No change in LTM performance was found in cortisol non-responders. Our study supports the assumptions that 1) SNS activation is associated with WM processes via stimulation of the prefrontal cortex, and 2) HPA axis activation is associated with LTM processes through interactions with the hippocampus.

Pseudo-Primacy Effects in Free Recall

1973 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 891-899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas G. Titus ◽  
John A. Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Free Recall ◽  
Serial Position ◽  
Serial Position Curve ◽  
Significant Degree ◽  
Primacy Effect ◽  
List Presentation ◽  
Temporal Distinctiveness ◽  
Primacy Effects

Shiffrin (1970) has suggested that the primacy effect in the serial position curve is the result of the temporal distinctiveness of the initial items in the list. Given this assumption a pseudo-primacy effect should be observed in other parts of the list if distinctive cues are provided. The present experiments tested this prediction. The distinctive cues presented were a change from a male to a female reader (or vice versa) and a short pause in list presentation. Pseudo-primacy effects were produced and the shape of the serial position curve was changed to a significant degree.

Effect of Word Familiarity on Long-Term Recency

1988 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 955-959 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koichi Sato
Keyword(s):  
Free Recall ◽  
Recency Effect ◽  
Distractor Condition ◽  
Recall Condition ◽  
Recency Effects ◽  
Word Lists ◽  
Word Familiarity ◽  
Recall Paradigm

This experiment examined the effect of word familiarity on recency effects in two paradigms, the immediate recency effect in the immediate free-recall paradigm and the long-term recency effect in the continuous-distractor paradigm. Subjects studied word lists. In the immediate free-recall condition, words were presented continuously, and subjects were asked for free recall immediately after presentation of each list. In the continuous-distractor condition, each word was followed by a summation task of 30 sec. After the last summation task for each list, subjects were asked for free recall. Familiarity influenced immediate recency and long-term recency in the same way. This result suggests that the same mechanisms underlie immediate recency and long-term recency effect

scholarly journals The limits of visual working memory in children: exploring prioritization and recency effects with sequential presentation

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ed David John Berry ◽  
Amanda Waterman ◽  
Alan D. Baddeley ◽  
Graham J. Hitch ◽  
Richard John Allen
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Serial Position ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Recency Effect ◽  
Sequential Presentation ◽  
Total N ◽  
Recency Effects ◽  
Final Item ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Automatic Memory

Recent research has demonstrated that, when instructed to prioritize a serial position in visual working memory, adults are able to boost performance for this selected item, at a cost to non-prioritized items (e.g. Hu et al., 2014). While executive control appears to play an important role in this ability, the increased likelihood of recalling the most recently presented item (i.e. the recency effect) is relatively automatic, possibly driven by perceptual mechanisms. In three experiments 7 to 10-year-old’s ability to prioritize items in working memory was investigated using a sequential visual task (total N = 208). The relationship between individual differences in working memory and performance on the experimental task was also explored. Participants were unable to prioritize the first (Experiments 1 & 2) or final (Experiment 3) item in a 3-item sequence, while large recency effects for the final item were consistently observed across all experiments. The absence of a priority boost across three experiments indicates that children may not have the necessary executive resources to prioritize an item within a visual sequence, when directed to do so. In contrast, the consistent recency boosts for the final item indicate that children show automatic memory benefits for the most recently encountered stimulus. Finally, for the baseline condition in which children were instructed to remember all three items equally, additional working memory measures predicted performance at the first and second but not the third serial position, further supporting the proposed automaticity of the recency effect in visual working memory.

Primacy and Recency in Recognition of Odours and Recall of Odour Names

1995 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 787-794 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith M. Annett ◽  
Alan W. Lorimer
Keyword(s):  
Free Recall ◽  
Serial Position ◽  
Serial Position Curve ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Elaboration Condition

This study examined the serial position curve for recognition of odours and recall of odour names, both with and without instructions for verbal elaboration. Participants were allocated to one of two experimental conditions, either with instructions to rehearse verbally the stimuli or with no elaboration instructions. After presentation of 17 odours, either recognition or free recall of the odours was tested immediately after presentation of the last target odour. Recognition showed evidence of primacy for the verbal elaboration condition and recency for both instruction conditions. Recall of odour names showed evidence of primacy for the verbal elaboration conditions and recency for both conditions. Instructions to verbalize did not significantly affect over-all performance for either test condition.

Serial Position and Growth Curves in Demand Concept Recall

1970 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-142
Author(s):  
Charles J. Gadway
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Serial Position ◽  
Serial Position Effect ◽  
Position Effect ◽  
Growth Curves ◽  
Complex Problem ◽  
Recency Effect ◽  
Primacy Effect ◽  
Complex Problem Solving

Since the serial-position effect has been demonstrated to diminish as learning progresses, it was hypothesized that only a weak recency serial-position effect would result from demand recall of concepts in a complex problem-solving situation. Six groups of 14 Ss solved 15 problems, 5 soluble by each of 3 concepts (rules), recalled from prior instruction. Each group received a different permutation of the 3 concepts. The serial-position effect appeared to be minimal for demand recall of concepts with the predicted weak recency effect (.01 < p < .05) but no primacy effect.

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