Experiment 1 confirmed previous findings that common words are more recalla
ble than are rare words when the 2 binds of words are presented in separate
lists but not when they are presented in the same List. Experiment 2 showe
d much the same pattern when an orienting task was performed during word pr
esentation. In Experiment 3 common words were found to be more recallable t
han rare words even for mixed lists when no warning was given of the memory
test, although the effect was less pronounced than for pure lists. In Expe
riment 4 stronger measures were taken to preclude anticipation of the memor
y test, and the effect of word commonness was found to be just as pronounce
d with mixed lists as it was with pure lists. It was suggested that lists a
re studied in a way believed to optimize recall and that mixed lists foster
a strategy of favoring the rare words.