Further study of encoding and arousal factors in free recall of verbal and visual material

Arousal, learning, and memory.

“…Any adequate theoretical account of the relationship between arousal and memory must explain the fact that the effects of arousal are partially determined by the nature of the task. At short retention intervals, high arousal has facilitatory effects on recognition (Archer & Margolin, 1970;Schwartz, 1974;Wesner, 1972) and on free recall (Corteen, 1969;Maltzman et al, 1966;Sampson, 1969;Schb'npflug & Beike, 1964;Schwartz, 1975b), but detrimental effects on paired-associate learning (Hermann & Todt, 1960;Howarth & H. Eysenck, 1968;, 1964McLean, 1968McLean, , 1969Osborne, 1972b). Additionally, high arousal is more detrimental to the short-term retention of "difficult," inaccessible information, such as in tasks involving response competition, than to the short-term retention of "easy," accessible information (Allsopp & H. Eysenck, 1974;Bone, 1971;M.…”

“…In sum, these free-recall studies provide little support for the prediction that high arousal should be associated with poor performance at short retention intervals. In fact, Corteen (1969), , Maltzman et al (1966), Sampson (1969), Schonpfiug and Beike (1964), and Schwartz (Note 7) have all found that high arousal facilitates immediate retention; additionally, Farley (Note 4) and Haveman and Farley (Note 3) found no effect of arousal on immediate free recall. The data from the study are unclear on this point.…”

“…A complex study of free recall by Kaplan, Kaplan, and Sampson (1968) tested for free recall immediately after presentation and 30 minutes later; they found that the mean GSR for the reminisced items (i.e., items recalled after 30 minutes but not immediately) was significantly greater than for the forgotten items (i.e., items recalled immediately but not after 30 minutes). Sampson (1969) repeated the study with a few modifications; the only significant relationship between GSR and free recall was a positive one between GSR and immediate word recall. Corteen (1969) presented his subjects with a IS-or 21-word list and asked them to listen to the words and think about their meanings.…”

Orienting Task Effects on EDR and Free Recall in Three Age Groups

“…Various studies using a paired-associates paradigm have shown a positive relation between level of EDR and delayed, but not immediate, recall (Butter, 1970;Kleinsmith & Kaplan, 1963, 1964Walker & Tarte, 1963). In free-recall studies, the same relationship has been observed for both immediate and delayed recall (Maltzman et al, 1966;Sampson, 1969). This relation between EDR and recall has been shown to hold for delay periods ranging from 30 min to 1 week (Butter, 1970;Kleinsmith & Kaplan, 1963, 1964Maltzman et al, 1966;Sampson, 1969;Walker & Tarte, 1963) and up to 2 weeks, if attention has been directed toward item meaning (Corteen, 1969).…”

Listening to Intense Messages: The Role of Arousal and Affect in Message Content Recognition

“…Hamilton and Zanna (1972) noted that high arousal in subjects led to the storage of more information about, specifically, the presentation order of the stimulus material. Sampson (1969), and Schwartz (1974) have concluded that high arousal facilitates immediate retention. However, although arousal seemed to aid retention of surface level content, it seemed to inhibit short-term recall (Eysenck, 1975a).…”