Proactive interference and its release in short-term memory of mildly retarded adolescents.

Release from proactive interference in mildly retarded adolescents due to taxonomic shifts and rest periods prior to the final, critical-word triad was investigated. Interference accumulated rapidly across the first three trials; a shift in triad's taxonomic class on the final trial produced a substantial release (72 percent) from proactive interference. Although proactive interference dissipated when the interval between Trials 3 and 4 was increased to 120 seconds, the extent of recovery from proactive interference for the rest period plus taxonomic shift was no greater than a taxonomic shift alone. Results indicated that taxonomic category is a salient encoding dimension for retarded adolescents.