EFFECTS OF ELABORATION AND DISTANCE ON THE RETRIEVAL OF TEXT

Two experiments are presented that examined the manner in which antecedents are retrieved from memory. In Experiment 1, subjects read passages containing two antecedents, with one appearing early in a passage and one appearing late. In addition, one of the antecedents was mentioned briefly while the other was elaborated on in much greater detail. The last line of each passage required reinstatement of either the early or late antecedent. Following reinstatement, subjects were required to name either the early or the late antecedent. Reading time results showed that search time was a function of both recency and elaboration with late antecedents retrieved more quickly than early antecedents and elaborated antecedents retrieved more quickly than nonelaborated antecedents. Naming times confirmed that subjects were performing the required reinstatement; reinstated antecedents were named faster than nonreinstated antecedents. Experiment 2 demonstrated that there was no difference in the activation level of either antecedent prior to reinstatement. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)