Phonological similarity and the irrelevant speech effect: Implications formodels of short-term verbal memory

Three experiments studied the interaction between irrelevant speech and pho nological similarity within both the remembered and the irrelevant auditory material. Phonological similarity within the remembered list impaired perf ormance in both baseline and irrelevant speech conditions, whereas phonolog ical similarity between the remembered and ignored irrelevant items did not influence performance. Although there was a tendency for similarity within the irrelevant items to reduce interference, this proved to be a less robu st finding. Implications for the theoretical interpretation of the irreleva nt speech effect are discussed.