Wilkie, Karyn (2008) Word Length Effect with Suppressed Rehearsal in an Interrupted Reading Task. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
The aim of the study was to investigate if a word length effect (WLE) would be obtained in a real time memory test that removes the opportunity for rehearsal. The interrupted reading task, previously used to measure the eye voice span (EVS) is seen as a more ecologically valid memory test, as reading is a skill used in everyday life. Measures of serial recall and recognition were collected from 30 adult participants consisting of community members from South East Queensland (90%), as well as psychology undergraduate students (10%). The eight (27%) males and 22 (73%) females ranged in age between 17 and 79 years of age (M = 37.46 years, SD = 14.26 years). Participants read passages manipulated to contain short and long word critical sentences. IRT is designed for unpredictable text disappearance. Once text disappeared, participants were required to output what they recalled seeing, which was recorded on audio files, and later scored for output times and number of words output. Recognition questions consisted of four multiple choice options and were presented in an immediate (n = 15) or delayed (n = 15) condition. A significant WLE was obtained for serial recall between short words from short word critical sentences and long words from long word critical sentences (t(269) = 15.82, p< .001). A significant WLE was obtained between correct recognition of short word sentences and long word sentences (t(269) = 5.137, p< .001). Obtaining a WLE in a task with no rehearsal challenges the prominent model, Baddeley and Hitch’s (1974) WM model. These results are consistent with theories that account for the WLE in terms of decay (Brown & Hulme, 1995) and interference (Cowan, 1999; Neath & Nairne, 1995).
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
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| 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 Sciences - Department of Psychology (Up to 30 Jun 2013) |
| Supervisors: | Liam Hendry |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 13 Nov 2025 00:20 |
| Last Modified: | 13 Nov 2025 00:20 |
| 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/52885 |
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