RESPONSE DISTRIBUTION AS AN EXPLANATION OF THE MIRROR EFFECT

Response distribution has recently been proposed as an explanation of the mirror effect in recognition memory. According to the proposal, pa rticipants presented with distinctive sets of items (e.g., low-and hig h-frequency words) vary their responses to give an equal number of pos itive responses (e.g., the sum of hits and false alarms) to each set. Four experiments tested this proposal. Two experiments showed that the mirror effect is present in the absence of distinctive sets of items. Two experiments showed that the mirror effect is present in the absen ce of response equalization. Wherever the response distribution hypoth esis can be tested, it fails.