Determinants of the word-frequency effect in recognition memory

Three studies (N = 36 each) examined the view that high frequency (Hf) words are less accurately recognized than low frequency (Lf) words because, since they have more meanings than Lf words, it is less likely that the word sense tagged at time of presentation will be accessed at time of test. Sentence contexts used during presentation were combined with cuing procedures at time of test. Recognition performance improved, but the word frequency effect (WFE) was unaltered. A fourth study (N = 24) considered the suggestion that associates of Hf & Lf words tend to be Hf words that are likely to (1) be activated & derivatively encoded during presentation, & (2) include distractors from the test sufficient to impair Hf-word performance. Analysis of Ss' associative responses & errors supports strongly such an interference-type interpretation of the WFE. 3 Tables, 30 References. Modified HA