SOME TESTS OF THE STRATEGY DISRUPTION INTERPRETATION OF PART-LIST CUEING INHIBITION

Part-list cuing inhibition is diminished recall for the remainder of a studied list when part of that list is provided on the recall test. In Experiments 1-3, participants formed arbitrary subcategories. Inhibition was absent when cues were consistent with those subcategories but present when cues were inconsistent with them. In Experiment 4, participants failed to adapt to part-list cuing, despite its presence on several training trials. In Experiment 5, a subcategorical retrieval strategy consistent with the presence of cues effectively eliminated inhibition whether that strategy was suggested at study or at recall. Two findings indicated that part-list cuing may be inconsistent with some retrieval strategies that produce recall segregated by subcategory. Most findings supported the strategy disruption position that inhibition results when a whole-list retrieval strategy is abandoned for a less effective part-list retrieval strategy.