INTERACTIVE EFFECTS OF TEXT-BASED AND TASK-BASED IMPORTANCE ON LEARNING FROM TEXT

In 3 experiments we examined the interactive effects of text-based imp ortance (i.e., intrinsically important information such as main ideas) and task-based importance (i.e., information made important by a task ) on recall for text. Experiment 1 indicated that information relevant to an encoding task was recalled better than was task-irrelevant info rmation. Experiment 2 revealed an interaction between text-based and t ask-based importance. Information that was relevant to a task was reca lled well regardless of its text-based importance. Information that wa s not relevant was recalled better if it was of high text-based rather than of low text-based importance. Experiment 3 indicated interactive effects at both encoding and retrieval. Readers used flexible, compen satory strategies that reflected a trade-off between text-based and ta sk-based importance. The use of multiple strategies occurred spontaneo usly without specific experimenter-based instructions.