Distinctiveness and serial position functions in implicit memory. Issue 2 (17th February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bireta, Tamra J.; Gabel, Andrew J.; Lamkin, Rebecca M.; Neath, Ian; Surprenant, Aimée M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of cognitive psychology. Volume 30:Issue 2(2018)
• Page Start: 222
• Page End: 229
• Publication Date: 2018-02-17
• Subjects: Implicit memory -- serial position function -- primacy effect -- recency effect; Cognitive psychology -- Periodicals; 153.05
• DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2017.1415344
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2044-5911

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Serial position functions, with their characteristic primacy and recency effects, are ubiquitous in episodic memory tasks, and have also been observed in tasks tapping semantic memory. However, only one experiment, [Raanaas, R. K., & Magnussen, S. (2006a). Serial position effects in implicit memory. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 18, 398–414. doi:10.1080/09541440500162065 ], has demonstrated primacy and recency effects in implicit memory using an indirect memory test. In Experiment 1, we replicate this finding and in Experiment 2, we confirm a prediction that holds only if the serial position function observed in Experiment 1 was a "real" serial position function. These results confirm the presence of serial position functions in implicit memory and also support a general prediction of the relative distinctiveness principle that serial position functions should obtain whenever a set of items are ordered along a relevant dimension.