SPEED ACCURACY TRADE-OFFS AND THE DUAL PROCESS MODEL OF RECOGNITION MEMORY

The classical dual process model posits rapid perceptual fluency and slower recall-like search as alternative bases of recognition memory. Because the time course of these two retrieval processes is assumed to differ, we examined the time course of two variables, modality match between study and test and levels-of-processing, which are hypothesized to index the effects of fluency and search, respectively. The time course of retrieval was examined using speeded vs non-speeded recognition memory tests (Experiment 1) and the response-signal paradigm (Experiments 2 and 3). Contrary to the predictions of the dual process model, the results of all three experiments were well fit by a model which assumed a single retrieval process with no differences in time course between the modality match and levels-of-processing variables. These results call into question the necessity of a dual process account of these variables. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.