ENCODING DIFFICULTY EFFECTS ON INCIDENTAL -LEARNING

Two experiments were carried out to investigate the validity of hypoth eses regarding the encoding difficulty effects on a free recall. Subje cts were required to judge which of two targets held a stronger associ ative relationship with a paired presented word followed by recognitio n and free recall tests. Two types of paired targets were used in Expe riment 1 : AA paired targets (associate and associate) and AN paired t argets (associate and non-associate). Positive correlation was observe d between a free recall and the mean clustering size. However, neither positive nor negative correlation was observed between a free recall and a false recognition as an index of elaboration. Three types of pai red targets were used in Experiment 2 : AA, AN and NN paired targets ( non-associate and non-associate). AA paired targets were more recalled than AN and NN ones. Mean clustering size was highest in AA paired ta rgets followed by AN and NN ones. These results were interpreted as sh owing that the organization hypothesis was adequate in explaining the encoding difficulty effects on an incidental free recall.