Multiple Serial List Learning with Two Mnemonic Techniques.

The classic mnemonic for learning serial lists, the method of loci, and its modern counterpart, the peg system, were compared by having subjects learn three 20-item serial lists. In addition to the type of mnemonic training, list imagery was either high (rated 6-7) or medium (rated 4-5), and instructions were either progressive elaboration (e.g., make a single image for each list position across the three lists), imagery, or verbal mediation. The verbal mediation instructions resulted in equal performance on both high and medium lists. The two imagery instructions resulted in higher recall than the verbal on high imagery lists and lower recall than the verbal on medium imagery lists. An absence of serial position effect was found for the two imagery instructed groups receiving high imagery lists. All other conditions showed a strong serial position effect. The comparison of the two mnemonic systems showed the peg method gave slightly higher recall on the high imagery lists, and the loci method gave slightly higher recall on medium lists. The results were discussed in terms of the subject's attempt to create an image for the medium imagery items interfering with finding an effective mediator. (Author)