Sobyra, Kate (2019) The Effects of Phonemic Codes in Short-Term Recall. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
This study tests the predictions of the distributed storage model (Tehan & Humphreys, 1998) using a cued recall task. First, building on previous findings that phonological information provided by filler items in a list can disrupt recall (Tehan & Humphreys, 1998), and irrelevant background speech can facilitate recall (Tolan & Tehan, 2002), this study investigates whether facilitative effects generalise from items in an auditory stream to filler items in a list. Secondly, given the lack of consistency in previous findings on the duration of the effects of phonemic codes (Tehan & Humphreys, 1998; but see Tolan & Tehan, 1999), this study tests the duration of these effects by varying a filled retention interval. A total of 26 participants took part in a repeated measures experiment that manipulated filler items and retention interval length. As predicted by the distributed storage model, filler items were found to enhance recall similar to irrelevant background speech, supporting the generality of facilitative effects. Contrary to our expectation, however, and in support of Tolan and Tehan’s (1999) claim that phonemic codes last 15 seconds, the effects of phonemic codes did not decrease with a filled retention interval. This finding contradicts a key assumption of distributed storage, providing support for models that account for two sets of phonological codes—a short-lasting and a more durable set, as in Nairne’s (1990) feature model. By demonstrating that recall can be influenced through the use of phonological codes, our results offer important implications for the malleability of memory.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Counselling (1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Gerry Tehan |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 14 Nov 2025 00:39 |
| Last Modified: | 14 Nov 2025 00:39 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | phonological codes; short-term memory; item interaction effects; proactive interference; irrelevant speech; filler items |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52774 |
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