Individual differences in encoding strategies and free recall dynamics

Individual differences in encoding strategies and their relation to free recall dynamics were examined. Participants performed a delayed free recall task and following each list reported which strategies they may have used on the prior list. Individual differences in effective encoding strategy use were positively correlated with overall recall performance. Examining recall dynamics suggested that variation in effective encoding strategy use was associated with greater recall, particularly on non-primacy items and slightly more organised recall in terms of recall transitions. However, no differences were found for recall of items at the first serial position, in recall initiation, or in how quickly participants recalled items. Collectively, the results are consistent with the notion that effective encoding strategies increase the strength of items, resulting in a higher likelihood of recovering the items during recall. Individual differences in control processes in the form of effective encoding strategies are critically important for understanding normal variation in memory abilities.

Testing enhances subsequent learning in older adults

Interference susceptibility has been suggested to be a major factor for episodic memory impairment in healthy older adults. Previous work has shown that retrieval practice can reduce proactive interference and thus enhance learning and memory in younger adults, a finding referred to as the forward effect of testing in the literature. This study examined the late developmental trajectory of the forward effect in middle-aged and older adults (40 to 79 years of age). Participants studied three lists of items in anticipation of a final cumulative recall test. In the testing condition, participants were tested immediately on lists 1 and 2 after initial study, whereas in the restudy condition, they restudied lists 1 and 2. In both conditions, participants were tested immediately on list 3. The results of the immediate list 3 recall test showed a reliable forward effect of testing, with interim testing of lists 1 and 2 enhancing list 3 recall and reducing the number of prior-list intrusions. Importantly, this effect of testing was found independent of participants’ age. These results suggest that retrieval practice can reduce proactive interference in middle-aged and older adults. Together with recent findings on the presence of the backward effect of testing in older adults – that is, improved recall of studied material after retrieval versus restudy –, these findings indicate that retrieval practice can be a very powerful tool to delimit memory impairment in older age.

The Variability Puzzle in Human Memory

Memory performance exhibits a high level of variability from moment to moment. Much of this variability may reflect inadequately controlled experimental variables, such as word memorability, past practice and subject fatigue. Alternatively, stochastic variability in performance may largely reflect the efficiency of endogenous neural processes that govern memory function. To help adjudicate between these competing views, we conducted a multisession study in which subjects completed 552 trials of a delayed free-recall task. Applying a statistical model to predict variability in each subject’s recall performance uncovered modest effects of word memorability, proactive interference, and other variables. In contrast to the limited explanatory power of these experimental variables, performance on the prior list strongly predicted current list recall. These findings suggest that endogenous factors underlying successful encoding and retrieval drive variability in performance.

The Application of Crime Network Conspirator Finding Model

This paper discusses how to find out conspirators when only know the topics of messages they sent and received. In order to determine the weight of every topic, we establish AHP model and CNC (Crime Network conspirator finding) model to define possibility, which includes three parameters: the relative connection degreeC(h) , the relative intermediate degree I and the I(h)relative tightness degreeT(h). After that, obtaining scores by synthesizing these three degrees and get a prior list. Through analyzing the list, we can determine the suspected conspirators.

Metaphor in corpora: a corpus-driven analysis of Applied Linguistics dissertations

This study develops a methodology for finding metaphors in corpora. The procedure is based on the wish that, without a prior list of metaphors, the computer would provide a number of possible metaphor candidates. The methodology works by selecting an initial pool of word types in the corpus, finding shared collocates between pairs of those words and then computing a semantic distance measure for those word pairs which have a requisite number of mutual collocates. Cases which satisfy these criteria were then concordanced and interpreted. This methodology was applied to a corpus of MA dissertations in Applied Linguistics, completed in Brazil. The paper highlights the importance of the use of metaphors by novice Applied Linguistic researchers.

Exploring semantic memory by investigating buildup and release of proactive interference in healthy older adults and individuals with dementia of the Alzheimer type

There is debate regarding the integrity of semantic memory in dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT). One view argues that DAT is associated with a breakdown in semantic memory; the other argues that DAT is associated with predominantly preserved semantic memory and a breakdown in retrieval. The classic release from proactive interference (RPI) paradigm was used to shed light on this debate. Individuals with early-stage DAT (n = 36) and healthy older adult controls (n = 45) participated in an RPI paradigm. Each trial was a Brown–Peterson task in which participants read three-word lists, counted (for 0, 3, 6, or 9 s), and recalled the words. Both groups showed significant proactive interference (PI), but the size of the PI was significantly smaller in the DAT group. The group difference in PI may be due to the faster forgetting rate in the DAT group. Both groups showed significant RPI and there was no group difference in size when RPI was considered in terms of PI levels. Both groups showed PI and RPI in prior list intrusions. The DAT group's significant buildup and release of PI based on semantic categories suggest predominantly preserved semantic memory activity, at least, in early-stage DAT individuals. (JINS, 2003, 9, 830–838.)

Inter-Item Associative Strength and Proactive Inhibition in Paired-Associate Learning

The experimental design was 2 × 2 factorial, with 2 levels of prior list (one or none), 2 of response term inter-item associative strength (high or low), and a 15-min. retention interval. The expectation was that high inter-item associative strength would reduce proactive inhibition. The hypothesis failed; the proportion of function words per list had no effect on recall.