Word length and the structure of short-term memory
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Words that take longer to say overtly reduce overall recall, suggesting a "word length effect" on the memory trace.
“For instance, words that take longer to say overtly reduce overall recall, suggesting a “word length effect” on the memory trace (Baddeley, Thomson, & Buchanan, 1975).”
From Inner Speech: Development, Cognitive Functions, Phenomenology, and Neurobiology (2015) · cites this paper as Baddeley, Thomson, & Buchanan, 1975
Because verbal STM storage is phonological rather than semantic, the same backward recall routine should extend to different verbal stimulus categories such as words, letters, and digits.
“As storage in verbal STM is phonological rather than semantic in nature (Baddeley et al., 1975; Gathercole, Frankish, Pickering, & Peaker, 1999), the same routine should be readily extended to backward span tasks employing different categories of verbal stimuli such as word, letters and digits.”
From Working memory training involves learning new skills (2019) · cites this paper as Baddeley et al., 1975
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- Authors
- Baddeley, A. D., Thomson, N., & Buchanan, M.
- Affiliations
- Medical Research Council (GB)
- University of Stirling (GB)
- Venue
- Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 1975-12
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 575-589
- ISSN
- 0022-5371 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2026577970
- Cited by
- 1,980
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 32 · 2025: 44 · 2024: 61 · 2023: 54 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 55 · 2020: 56 · 2019: 78 · 2018: 68 · 2017: 55 · 2016: 72 · 2015: 77 · 2014: 62 · 2013: 73 · 2012: 60
- FWCI
- 2.70
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Keywords
- word length, short-term memory, temporal duration, syllable number, speech production, working memory, auditory presentation, visual presentation
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