FAILURE OF INTERPOLATED TESTS IN INDUCING MEMORY IMPAIRMENT WITH FINAL MODIFIED TESTS - EVIDENCE UNFAVORABLE TO THE BLOCKING HYPOTHESIS

Whether interpolated recall or recognition tests will enhance the impa iring influence of postevent misinformation on a final modified recogn ition test of original event information was examined in two experimen ts. Both used short retention intervals. Postevent information led to differences between control and misled conditions on interpolated test s, but no differences were found on modified tests. Arguments are pres ented that discredit the blocking hypothesis as a potential mechanism responsible for impairment found with postevent misinformation experim ents that use short retention intervals. Instead, various rejection me chanisms are favorably assessed.