Primacy and recency effects in order memory

[Erik M. Altmann]

A CogSci2000 paper addressing primacy and recency effects in memory 
for order (sequel to an ICCM paper that dealt with positional 
uncertainty).  The model described here is based on ACT-R/PM's 
associative-learning and attention mechanisms, and provides a theory 
of incidental acquisition of order memory while doing without the 
partial matcher.  Comments welcome.

Erik.

Memory in chains:  Modeling primacy and recency effects in memory for order

     Memory for order is fundamental in everyday cognition,
     supporting basic processes like causal inference. However,
     theories of order memory are narrower, if anything, than theories
     of memory generally. The memory-in-chains (MIC) model improves on
     existing theories by explaining a family of order memory effects,
     by explaining more processes, and by making strong
     predictions. This paper examines the MIC model's explanation of
     primacy and recency effects, and the prediction that primacy
     should dominate recency. This prediction is supported by existing
     data sets, suggesting that Estes's (1997) perturbation model,
     dominant among theories of order memory, is incorrect. Fits to
     data are presented and compared with fits of other models.

     http://hfac.gmu.edu/People/altmann/altm00mic2.pdf

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Erik M. Altmann, PhD
Psychology 2E5
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030
703-993-1326 (voice)
703-993-1330 (fax)
altmann at gmu.edu
hfac.gmu.edu/~altmann
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