List Memory and Alphabetic Retrieval

[Danielle S. McNamara]

Todd,
It seems to me that alphabetic retrieval is more analogous to skilled
memory than to serial recall.  That is, rather than relying on an episodic
representation, the subject may be using a LTM (LTWM) representation.  So,
the process would be more similar to that observed in work such as Chase &
Ericsson (S.F.) than in a standard serial recall paradigm.  I say this
because the subject would rely on a chunk in LTM, rather than a chunk
created at the time of encoding.  Also, the results you describe sound more
similar to skilled memory findings.  Does this assumption sound reasonable?
And, has anyone simulated with ACT-R the Chase and Ericsson data -- or
similar data?
Danielle



Danielle S. McNamara
  Asst. Professor
  Department of Psychology
  Old Dominion University
  Norfolk, Virginia 23529-0267

email: dmcnamar at odu.edu
phone: (757) 683-4446
fax: (757) 683-5087