A systematic reexamination of the list-length effect in recognition memory

Abstract

The list-length effect has been crucial in understanding the sources of forgetting in recognition memory, especially whether forgetting stems from interference generated by other items in the study list. However, there has been inconsistent evidence for the effect, and recent studies have found various confounds in the experimental design. The present study reexamined the list-length effect by controlling confounds that have been reported. We also systematically manipulated various factors such as the list length, study time, delay, and stimulus type and tested a large sample to examine the robustness of the effect (i.e., radical randomization). Results showed evidence for a list-length effe..