The role of the verb in sentence memory

Investigators have frequently found that Ns are more important than Vs in memory representation of sentences. This pattern is incompatible with recent theories of sentence memory emphasizing the V, & with the results of sentence comprehension studies demonstrating the V's importance. Four experiments were designed to re-examine the V's role in sentence memory. Linguistic variables other than sentence function were held constant in 3 studies. Experiment 1 (N = 64) assessed the relative importance of Vs in the propositional representation of sentences by examining free recall. Experiment 2 (N = 162) used a cued recall task, & experiment 3 (N = 48), also employing a cued recall task, examined the effects of two extraneous linguistic variables - ease of image formation & frequency of occurrence - on sentence memory. Vs were recalled as well & were as effective retrieval cues as Ns. The to-be-remembered sentences were presented (N = 96) in the context of paragraphs in experiment 4. This reduced the difference in recall level between subjects, Vs, & Os. It was concluded that the V is no less important than sentence Ns in the memory representation. 4 Tables. Modified HA