REVERSE-INTERFERENCE EFFECT IN FREE-RECALL

D. J. Burns (1989) demonstrated that free recall of second-list respon se terms was better in an interference (A-B, A-C) condition than in a control (D-B, A-C) condition. This reversal of the traditional interfe rence effect was referred to as the reverse-interference effect. Resul ts from Experiments 2-4 in this article discounted several possible ex planations of the reverse-interference effect, and the results from Ex periment 5-7 supported a stimulus accessibility account of the reverse -interference effect. That is, when asked for free recall of the respo nse terms, participants covertly retrieved stimulus terms to serve as cues for the responses. The reverse-interference effect reflects the g reater accessibility of stimulus terms in the interference condition t han in the control condition.