Fifty years of memory for names and faces: A cross-sectional approach

Tested 392 high school graduates for memory of names and portraits of classmates selected from yearbooks. The retention interval since graduation varied from 2 wks to 57 yrs. Performance was adjusted by multiple regression procedures to control the effects of various conditions on original learning and rehearsal of the material. Results show that identification and matching of names and faces remained approximately 90% correct for at least 15 yrs, even for members of very large classes. Free recall was independent of class size and recognition memory, and declined with negative acceleration by 60% during 48 yrs. This very slow forgetting process is attributed to distribution of practice and overlearning effects far more extreme than those observed in laboratory research. The decline of free recall is associated with the forgetting of the nature of the interpersonal relationship which serves as a retrieval mediator. (33 ref)