Set differentiation and depth of processing in the directed forgetting paradigm

96 university students were shown lists of words, half of which were subsequently cued as to-be-remembered (R) words and half as to-be-forgotten (F) words. The cue occurred immediately before (precue) or after (postcue) a 5-sec interval during which Ss performed 1 of 3 orienting tasks on the item. The lists were constructed of either unrelated or categorically related words. The latter lists were further partitioned into those in which the R and F cues were either orthogonal or nonorthogonal to category membership. As predicted, recall data reveal that set differentiation was superior with precues and related nonorthogonal lists. The reversal of the typical "depth effect" observed by C. D. Wetzel using the directed forgetting paradigm was not replicated; indeed, quite a strong depth effect was obtained. The fact that set differentiation was enhanced by deeper levels of processing is viewed as contrary to a selective elaborative rehearsal interpretation. (22 ref)