1. Cognitive Processes PSY 334
Chapter 5 – Meaning-Based Knowledge Representation
April 28, 2003

2. Wanner’s Experiment People do not remember exact wording.
Two sentences differ in style
Two sentences differ in meaning
Subjects warned or not warned to pay attention to style
Memory is better for changes in wording that affect meaning.
Warning only helps memory for style.

3. Memory for Visual Information
Memory for pictures is very strong and better than for words.
Mandler’s study – token vs type changes.
Type = meaning
Token = detail
Type changes were easier to identify than token.
Picture memory depends on meaning.

4. Droodles
Bower, Karlin & Dueck presented droodles with or without their captions.
Subjects given labels were able to redraw them with 70% accuracy.
Subjects without labels were 51% accurate.
Memory depended on meaningful interpretation.

5. Retention of Detail
Perceptual detail is encoded but quickly forgotten.
Gernsbacher’s picture reversals:
10 sec delay = 79% accuracy
10 min delay = 57% accuracy.
Anderson’s story sentences:
Immediate test = 99% correct
2 min delay = 56% correct
Delay does not affect meaning accuracy.

6. Implications
Memory is enhanced if people can attach meaning to material.
Loud and fast rehearsal doesn’t work.
Meaningless words can be better remembered by adding meaning:
DAX is like “DAD”
GIB is first part of “gibberish”
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