EVIDENCE FOR CONJOINT RETENTION OF INFORMATION ENCODED FROM SPATIAL ADJUNCT DISPLAYS

Two experiments were conducted to determine whether the conjoint reten tion hypothesis (Kulhavy, Lee, & Caterino, 1985) is a viable explanati on for the facilitative advantages of adjunct displays by examining wh ether encoding and retrieval processes involve using the visuospatial sketchpad component of working memory (Baddeley, 1992). Experiment 1 i nvestigated encoding effects on working memory performance by having c ollege students view (a) a verbal or spatial representation, (b) an ad junct display, and then be tested on (c) recognition of the representa tion, and (d) comprehension of the adjunct display. In Experiment 2, ( a) and (b), and (c) and (d) were reversed to examine retrieval effects . Results indicated that spatial memory was worse than verbal memory w hen processing graphic organizers, concept maps, and outlines, but not text; and when retrieving information after processing graphic organi zers and concept maps, but not outlines and text. Thus, the conjoint r etention hypothesis explains the facilitative advantages of spatial, b ut not linear adjunct displays. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.