Accessing integrated and nonintegrated propositional structures in memory

An investigation of the access properties associated with different propositional structures. Two memory experiments are reported, in which the underlying structures of sentences were integrated or not. Some sentences had the same concept repeated across the propositions (integrated) whereas others had no explicit repeated arguments (nonintegrated). Accessibility to the memory traces of the sentences was manipulated through the acquisition & testing conditions. In experiment 1, Ss (N = 108 adults) received either immediate or delayed recall tests, under free or cued conditions. Integrated sentences were recalled better than nonintegrated ones under conditions of high accessibility (immediate recall or delayed cued recall). In contrast, under the low-access condition (delayed free recall), nonintegrated sentences were recalled slightly better than integrated ones. Experiment 2 (N = 96) confirmed & extended the results for delayed free recall. Results are interpreted according to a theory on the lag effect in list learning. 5 Tables, 1 Figure. HA