THE CONNECTION OF VARIOUS INVARIANCE HYPO THESES IN THE FIELD OF PSYCHOLOGY OF MEMORY

Authors
Citation
J. Bredenkamp, THE CONNECTION OF VARIOUS INVARIANCE HYPO THESES IN THE FIELD OF PSYCHOLOGY OF MEMORY, Zeitschrift fur experimentelle und angewandte Psychologie, 40(3), 1993, pp. 368-385
Citations number
21
Categorie Soggetti
Psychology
ISSN journal
00442712
Volume
40
Issue
3
Year of publication
1993
Pages
368 - 385
Database
ISI
SICI code
0044-2712(1993)40:3<368:TCOVIH>2.0.ZU;2-N
Abstract
This article tries to connect four invariance hypotheses that, up to n ow, have been independently investigated and hereby incorporates resul ts of former investigations of a mental calculation expert. First, the hypothesis of Cavanagh (1972) is described. The information-theoretic al interpretation of this hypothesis results in the connection with th e modified total time-hypothesis and the hypothesis of Nevelski (1970) , which together imply Thurstone's equation for the learning curve. Th e result of a reanalysis of some experiments published by Bredenkamp a nd Hager (1979) was in accordance with this connection. Therefore, the information-theoretical interpretation of Cavanagh's hypothesis was a pplied to estimate the time per feature test - a constant in Cavanagh' s relation - from some published experiments. The estimations were in accordance with one another and show that each feature test lasts appr oximately 9 ms. This value fits well with Geissler's time quantum. Rel ating Cavanagh's hypothesis with the hypothesis of a constant duration of memory traces (Baddeley, 1990; Schweikert & Boruff, 1986), the rei nterpretation of the results from former experimental investigations o f a mental calculation expert (Bredenkamp et al., 1988; Bredenkamp, 19 90) becomes possible. Finally, some suggestions are made as how the de veloped set of hypotheses can be tested empirically.