The role of verbal output time in the effects of word length on immediate memory*1

Phonological, visual, and semantic coding strategies and children's short-term picture memory span

“…In Experiment 1, there was some evidence of an 'intermediate' strategy stage of phonological coding on its own (phonological similarity effects) followed by a later stage of phonological coding plus verbal rehearsal (phonological similarity and word length effects) in the cluster analysis. However, given the difficulties of interpreting word length effects as evidence for verbal rehearsal (Cowan et al, 1992;Henry, 1991;Henry et al, 2000;Yuzawa, 2001), the cautious conclusion is that both of these effects indicated phonological coding. In all other relevant analyses, phonological similarity and word length effects coincided in the older and more mature children.…”

“…spoken duration or differences in phonological complexity -see Hulme, Neath, Stuart, Shostak, Surprenant & Brown, 2006;Lewandowsky & Oberauer, 2008;Mueller, Seymour, Kieras & Meyer, 2003;Romani, McAlpine, Olson, Tsouknida & Martin, 2005). Word length effects in picture span tasks emerge at 7-9 years (Halliday et al, 1990;Henry, Turner, Smith & Leather, 2000;Hitch, Halliday, Dodd & Littler, 1989;Hitch et al, 1991), although there is debate about the precise cognitive processes responsible for this development in relation to verbal rehearsal and verbal output (Cowan, Day, Saults, Keller, Johnson & Flores, 1992;Henry, 1991;Henry et al, 2000;Yuzawa, 2001). Others doubt that word length effects require articulatory processes (e.g.…”

Strategic verbal rehearsal in adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities: A multi-centre European study

“…However, there could be methodological issues with verbal recall methods. Cowan et al (1992) and Henry (1991) have argued that the process of verbal recall, particularly if it follows auditory presentation of a list, produces word length effects, because the recall requires a recitation of the output list and there is more decay in the time-limited phonological store of long named items (see Henry, 2012). Russell et al (1996) addressed these issues by asking children to point to pictures of items on a response board, instead of verbally recalling items as in previous experiments.…”

The Development of Memory for Serial Order: A Temporal‐contextual Distinctiveness Model

“…Other accoun ts of S OR develop ment have fo cused on p rocesses occurring d uring output (C owan et al, 1992, 1994; H enry, 1991). T hu s both individu al d ifferences in span w ithin an age group, and differences across age groups, are correlated with the length of pauses b etween successive item recalls (Cowan et al, 1992(Cowan et al, , 1 994, 1998, con sistent w ith the idea that mem ory search for each successive item d uring serial recall is an important facto r contributing to individual differences. H ow ever, there are as yet no co mputation ally explicit models of SO R th at have incorporated such results into a co mplete develop menta l account.…”