Department of Psychology and Anthropology, The University of Texas-Pan American, 1201 W. University Drive, Edinburg, TX 78539-2999, USA.
Psychol Res. 2011 May;75(3):202-13. doi: 10.1007/s00426-010-0297-0. Epub 2010 Jul 4.
There are two research paradigms in the area of serial-order memory. One typically uses serial recall (accuracy), and the other comparative judgment (reaction time) for measuring serial-order memory. Spontaneous subgrouping is commonly observed in the recall serial-position function in the form of multiple bowings. However, comparative judgment with a reaction time measure produces a single-bowing function. Researchers adopting these two approaches have opposing views on the form of the structure of serial-order memory with the former favoring a hierarchical, and the latter a unidimensional structure. The present study confirmed the above hypothesized relation between the two measuring procedures and the two different patterns of serial-position functions. It was suggested that a serial recall involves retrieving absolute position information, whereas a comparative judgment involves retrieving relative position information, and that subgrouping serves a facilitating function for the former, but may actually impede the latter process.
在序列记忆领域有两种研究范式。一种通常使用序列回忆（准确性），另一种使用比较判断（反应时间）来测量序列记忆。在回忆序列位置函数中，自发分组通常以多种弯曲的形式出现。然而，使用反应时间测量的比较判断会产生单一弯曲的函数。采用这两种方法的研究人员对序列记忆结构的形式持相反的观点，前者支持层次结构，后者支持单一维度结构。本研究证实了这两种测量程序与两种不同的序列位置函数模式之间的上述假设关系。研究表明，序列回忆涉及检索绝对位置信息，而比较判断涉及检索相对位置信息，并且分组对于前者起到促进作用，但实际上可能会阻碍后者的过程。
