Evidence is presented to demonstrate that arranging word lists on distinctive visual patterns results in better recall performance than does presenting the same word lists on a pattern that is always the same. Results of three experiments using college age students are reported. (Author/LMO)

The Search of Associative Memory (SAM) model for recall is extended by assuming that a familiarity process is used for recognition. The model, formalized in a computer simulation program, correctly predicts a number of findings in the literature as well as results from an experiment on the word-frequency effect. (Author/BW)

Critically examines the assumption underlying research into stages of word recognition provided by R.J. Chabot and others and questions whether their analysis of speed of processing differences warrants making strong conclusions about the nature of reading deficits. (HOD)

Three myths about the cognitive processing of television and its effects on children and adults--television is a passive medium, viewing decreases creativity, and viewing is an addictive behavior--are discussed and compared with relevant research findings. (MBR)

Research identifies two interrelated memories--one that retains facts and symbols and one that retains motor and problem-solving skills. These and other findings challenge educators to determine what students should memorize, to help them move from random memorization to creating useful concepts, and to teach students to use memory in problem…

The study reported here assessed the contribution of short-term memory to differences in standardized listening scores for each of five types of auditory input. Memory for syntactically arranged words proved to be the best predictor of listening skill in this battery of tests. (SED)

Nine experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that short-term memory and information processing share a common pool of scarce resources. (LMO)

Good readers performed better than poor readers on temporal order retention tests as expected, but contrary to expectation, also maintained their superiority on the spatial tasks. However, error pattern differences supported earlier evidence linking poor readers' short-term memory deficiencies to reduced effectiveness of phonetic representation.…

Types of comparisons for evaluation of mnemonics were identified based on equating exposure to the to-be-learned associations or on total study time. Experiments on the cueword method illustrated how highly analytical experiments on mnemonics might be conducted and how choice of comparisons in research could affect mnemonic evaluation. (Author/DWH)

Presents an abbreviated version of a large scale investigation of second language attrition covering 50 years. Results yield benefits to teachers and students of foreign languages by leading to an understanding of how various procedures of acquisition affect the rate of loss and ultimately minimize the potential for later attrition. (SL)

The keyword and pegword methods, related mnemonic strategies to improve performance in encoding and retrieving factual information, are described as effective procedures for helping special education and remedial students increase their learning and memory skills. (JW)

Examines the role of organization in adults' processing of stories. Canonical stories were better recalled than noncanonical stories by all three age groups (young, middle-aged, and old adults), and a variety of measures indicated that older adults' recall was both quantitatively and qualitatively similar to that of young adults. (SL)

Examines the effects of integration complexity on the ability of child and adult listeners to integrate information. Increases in complexity adversely affected children's more than adults' resolution integration. The children's integration performance was affected by theme discontinuity and conferential complexity. (Author/AS)

Discusses how laughter and joke-telling can be channeled in such a way as to enhance second language teaching. In addition, it is suggested that jokes can act as a dynamic in overcoming problems (such as lassitude) that arise in situations involving group work. (SL)

A new revision was developed using Rasch psychometric techniques to build a Knox's Cube Test (KCT) variable and item bank using the tapping series from all previous editions. The report forms developed give a clear picture of the subject's performance set in a context that is both normative and criterion. (Author/BW)