Previous Issues

The total number of words recalled, reminiscence and forgetting in free association procedures were investigated in three experiments. In the first, the subjects were asked to recall as many animal names as they could remember two consecutive times for a period of one minute. In the second experiment the period of recall was extended to four minutes, while in the third experiment the subjects were asked to recall as many bird names as they could for three consecutive times, one minute each. The results of the first experiment showed no increase in the total number of words recalled although there was about 20% reminiscence matched by about 20% forgetting. Increasing the time of recall or decreasing the number of words to be remembered lead to an increase in reminiscence and to a decrease in forgetting. The findings were interpreted in support of the view of memory as a limited-capacity retrieval system. Also that recall per say does not improve latter recall. Furthermore, reminiscence and forgetting are purely retrieval related phenomena.