A review of the tip-of-the-tongue experience

Brown, Alan S.

doi:10.1037/0033-2909.109.2.204

Cited by 517Memory Processes and InfluencesNeurobiology of Language and BilingualismReading and Literacy Development

A review of the tip-of-the-tongue experience

Brown, Alan S.·1991·Psychological Bulletin

DOI 10.1037/0033-2909.109.2.204

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Abstract

The tip-of-the-tongue experience (TOT) has intrigued psychologists for nearly a century. R. Brown and McNeil (1966) provided the first systematic exploration of the phenomenon, and the findings since their seminal study suggest that TOTs (a) are a nearly universal experience, (b) occur about once a week, (c) increase with age, (d) are frequently elicited by proper names, (e) often enable access to the target word's first letter, (f) are often accompanied by words related to the target, and (g) are resolved during the experience about half of the time. Important questions remain concerning TOTs: (a) Are emotional reactions necessary, (b) do only low frequency targets elicit TOTs, (c) do TOTs reflect incomplete target word activation or interference from related words, and (d) do spontaneous retrievals really occur? A more precise definition of the TOT experience is needed, as well as greater uniformity in the information gathered during TOTs.

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Authors: Brown, A. S.
Affiliations: Southern Methodist University (US)
Corresponding author: Brown, Alan S.
Venue: Psychological Bulletin
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Published: 1991
Volume: 109
Issue: 2
Pages: 204-223
ISSN: 0033-2909 (ISSN-L)
1939-1455
DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.109.2.204
OpenAlex: W2130943935
Cited by: 517
References: 85
Citations by year: 2026: 8 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 33 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 31 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 23
FWCI: 4.68
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Psychological Bulletin (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Reading and Literacy Development
Keywords: tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon, word retrieval, lexical access, proper names, word frequency, related words, emotional responses, spontaneous retrieval, word activation
MeSH terms: Adult, Aged, Aging, Arousal, Attention, Awareness, Child, Humans, Mental Recall, Retention, Psychology, Semantics, Verbal Learning

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A review of the tip-of-the-tongue experience

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