Encoding variability and cuing in generative processing

A multiple-cue hypothesis was proposed by Soraci et al. (1994) to account for incongruous item generation effects. They reported a positive relationship between the number of cues at acquisition and subsequent recall for generation, but not read, conditions. The present experiments explored the role of cuing in congruous generation encoding contexts. In Experiments 1 and 2, no multiple cuing advantage was found across congruous generation encoding contexts when cues were directed at the same semantic referent. Experiments 3 and 4 demonstrated a recall advantage for multiple cues in congruous generation conditions only when both semantic referents of a homograph were cued. In contrast, Experiment 5, involving incongruous generation, demonstrated equivalent levels of recall for redundant and Variable multiple cuing conditions. These data indicate that the original multiple-cue hypothesis should be modified to include the critical role that generative processing has in promoting the utilization of multiple referents (i.e., potential response candidates) in recall. (C) 1999 Academic Press.