Transient phonemic codes and immunity to proactive interference

Abstract

[Abstract]: Empirical data indicate that when memory for sub-span lists of taxonomically related material is tested immediately after study, prior experience with lists involving the same material has no affect upon recall or recognition. Six experiments explore the possibility that immunity to Proactive Interference (PI) is related to discriminative information that is provided by transient phonemic codes. In these experiments the strength of, or the presence or absence of phonemic codes was manipulated. Immunity to PI was found only in those circumstances where it was presumed that a phonemic representation of target items existed, and that information provided discriminative information. In all other cases PI was observed. The finding that PI effects correspond in a principled fashion with the manipulation of phonemic information provides strong evidence for the role of phonemic codes in producing short-term PI effects.