The importance of semantic similarity to the irrelevant speech effect

Author(s): LeCompte, D. C.

Journal/Book: Mem Cognition. 1999; 27: 1710 Fortview Rd, Austin, TX 78704, USA. Psychonomic Soc Inc. 37-44.

Abstract: Irrelevant speech disrupts immediate recall of a short sequence of items. Salame and Baddeley (1982) found a very small and nonsignificant increase in the irrelevant speech effect when the speech comprised items semantically identical to the to-be-remembered items, leading subsequent researchers to conclude that semantic similarity plays no role in the irrelevant speech effect. Experiment 1 showed that strong free associates of the to-be-remembered items disrupted serial recall to a greater extent than words that were dissimilar to the to-be-remembered items. Experiment 2 showed that this same pattern of disruption in a free recall task. Theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.

Note: Article Neely CB, Louisiana State Univ, Dept Psychol, Baton Rouge,LA 70803 USA

Keyword(s): SHORT-TERM-MEMORY; PHONOLOGICAL SIMILARITY; UNATTENDED SPEECH; CHANGING STATE; WORKING MEMORY; SERIAL-RECALL; DISRUPTION; TONES; MUSIC

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