Abstract
In two experiments, we investigated memory for words location after writing a text. Experiment 1 demonstrated the existence of a memory for words location in writing by showing that participants who first composed a text and were then asked to locate words extracted from their text performed above a chance level established using a computer simulation, and better than participants who did not compose a text but were told the subject of the text. Experiment 2 showed that memory for words location in writing is mainly supported by a visuospatial representation of the text, as indicated by the lower recall of words location by participants who performed a visuospatial concurrent task at the time of the composition, compared with participants who performed a verbal concurrent task. The findings highlight the role of a spatial representation of the physical layout of the text and the role of such a memory in the writing process.
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Notes
Although the composition was limited in space, given that it was not time-limited, memory for words location may have been affected by difference in the number of words of the texts (minimum = 97; maximum = 176). To test that possibility, we correlated recall of location with the number of words produced. No significant relation was found between recall of location and length of the texts (r = −0.25, P = 0.17) indicating that memory for words location did not depend on the number of words produced. Effective recall could also depend on spatial location of the words on the page. For instance, first and last words may be recalled better than words occupying the “middle” region on the page. We tested this possibility by grouping the three first, middle and last words on the page in the Production condition. Then we conducted a repeated measure ANOVA on scores of recall with Location on the paper (beginning, middle, end) as a within-participant factor. The location factor did not affect recall of words location, F(2, 58) = 1.15, MSE = 0.77, P = 0.32.
As in Experiment 1, memory for words location may have been affected by difference in the number of words of the texts. No significant correlation was obtained between number of words in the texts and scores of recall, r = −0.03, P = 0.76. We also conducted an analysis of covariance on scores of recall with number of words as a covariate and with Concurrent task as the between-participant factor. The visuospatial concurrent task affected memory for words location even when length of the texts was controlled, F(2, 86) = 3.44, MSE = 2.40, P< 0.05. To test the possibility that effective recall could depend on spatial location of the words on the page, we again conducted a mixed 3 (Concurrent task) × 3 (Location on the paper) ANOVA on scores of recall. The location factor did not affect memory for words location and did not interact with the different types of concurrent task. Finally, we also tested whether difference in memory for words location came from a difference in frequency of the words that were recalled in the three experimental conditions. Mean frequency of the words did not reliably differ between the verbal (M = 69.3, SD = 53.8), visuospatial (M = 65.5, SD = 45.3) and control conditions (M = 65.2, SD = 43.7), F(2, 87) = 0.07, MSE = 2286.3, P = 0.92.
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Le Bigot, N., Passerault, JM. & Olive, T. Memory for words location in writing. Psychological Research 73, 89–97 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-008-0135-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-008-0135-9