Abstract
This study demonstrated that environmental-context(EC)-dependent memory can occur with recognition memory. In Experiment 1, five lists were presented, each in a different room, and recognition memory for all five lists was tested in one of the five rooms. On a yes-no recognition test, recognition was reliably affected by EC. In Experiment 2, two lists were studied, each in a different room, and memory for both lists was tested in one of the two rooms, using either free-recall, cued-recall, or recognition testing. Reliable effects of the test room were found only on the recognition test, which contained a randomized mix of the two lists. The results of both experiments show that contrary to the prevailing belief, EC-dependent recognition does occur in the laboratory.
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Thanks are especially due Art Glenberg, who contributed a great deal to this research. Thanks are also due Kelvin Carrington, who collected the data for Experiment 1, and Steven Blankenship and Cynthia Higgs, who collected the data for Experiment 2.
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Smith, S.M. Environmental context and recognition memory reconsidered. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 23, 173–176 (1985). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329818
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329818