Silent reading rate and memory span

Abstract

This paper reports two experiments concerned with the form of the linear function relating memory span to pronunciation rate. Experiment 1 asked whether the intercept of the equation is attributable to an interaction between modality, word‐length, and serial position. The results lead us to reject this possibility. Experiment 2 examined the shape of the span function for visual presentation of lists read aloud or silently. The results show that the intercept of the span function disappears for silent presentation but not for aloud presentation. The results are discussed in terms of a balance between two opposing effects of word‐length.

Notes

Correspondence should be addressed to Marie Poirier, Memory and Cognition Research Group, Psychology Department, City University, London EC1V 0AB, UK.

Marie Poirier is now at the Psychology Department of City University, London. This research was supported in part by an operating grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada to Marie Poirier; some of the work presented here was conducted while Marie Poirier was at the Psychology Department of Laval University.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jeffrey Oliver

Correspondence should be addressed to Marie Poirier, Memory and Cognition Research Group, Psychology Department, City University, London EC1V 0AB, UK. Marie Poirier is now at the Psychology Department of City University, London. This research was supported in part by an operating grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada to Marie Poirier; some of the work presented here was conducted while Marie Poirier was at the Psychology Department of Laval University.