The retention interval hypothesis and backward associations

Abstract

The retention interval hypothesis has been shown to account for both superior and equal forward associations in paired-associate learning under the study-test method vis-a-vis the anticipation method, on the basis of short-term memory processes occurring during the retention interval. Since the basic relative temporal relationships between the two learning methods remain essentially the same when backward associations are considered, the hypothesis should predict either superior or equal performances for the study-test method when compared with the anticipation method. To test these theoretical expectations, backward associations were compared under both item presentation methods using three different lists in three experiments. Significantly superior backward associations resulted under the study-test method as compared with the anticipation method in Experiments 1 and 2, where learning was intermediately difficult. However, performance differences between the two methods in backward associations were nonsignificant in Experiment 3, where learning was quite difficult. Both results with backward associations, similar to comparisons with forward associations, are in agreement with the predictions derived from the retention interval hypothesis.