Anagram solution as a function of instructions, priming, and imagery.

Jablonski, Eugene M.; Mueller, John H.

doi:10.1037/h0032766

Cited by 14 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…The present data stand in contrast to the data of Jablonski and Mueller (1972) who found inconsistent effects for imagery with five-letter words. While this difference in results may be accounted for by the wider separation of word lists on imagery in the present studies, the difference may also be attributable to the lengths of solution-words.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Solving anagrams as a function of word frequency, imagery and distribution of practice.

Stratton¹,

Jacobus²,

Leonard³

1975

Canadian Journal of Psychology / Revue canadienne de psychologi

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While previous research has consistently demonstrated that anagrams with solutionwords of high frequency are easier to solve than anagrams with solution-words of low frequency, the results for solution-word imagery have been contradictory. Experiment I involved the use of four six-item lists which varied factorially on imagery and frequency and were equated for meaningfulness and total bigram-position frequency. Eighteen Ss attempted to solve these anagrams under conditions of distributed practice and 18 Ss under massed practice. Data for solution latency and number of solutions revealed that anagrams were easier to solve if the solution-words were of high imagery or high frequency (ps < .001). Distribution of practice and practice over 24 problems did not influence performance. Experiment n replicated the effects of solution-word imagery and frequency with a different sample of words and with more precise controls (ps < .025). The results were discussed in terms of the processes involved in the storage and retrieval of words from semantic memory and die role that retrieval processes play in solving anagrams.SOLVING ANAGRAMS involves alternating between letter rearrangement, word retrieval, and word-anagram comparison activities (see Johnson, 1972). The major purpose of the present studies was to determine the effects of solution-word frequency and imagery on the ease of retrieving words to solve anagrams.Anagrams and thinking-of-a-word problems are more easily solved if the solutions are high-frequency words than if the solutions are low-frequency words (e.g., Mayzner & Tresselt, 1958;Stratton & Wathen, 1972). This effect is usually attributed to the tendency to retrieve words from memory in an order determined by frequency of experience, with high-frequency words being retrieved before low-frequency words, the spew law of Underwood and Schulz (1960). Also words of very low frequency may never have been stored in memory (Duncan, 1973).The verbal learning literature suggests that word imagery may also influence performance on anagram problems. Several studies nave shown•This is an expanded version of a paper presented at the 1973 meetings of the Midwestern Psychological Association in Chicago. Requests for reprints should be addressed to R.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Solving anagrams as a function of word frequency, imagery and distribution of practice.

Stratton¹,

Jacobus²,

Leonard³

1975

Canadian Journal of Psychology / Revue canadienne de psychologi

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“…People are given scrambled letters of a word, such as tinekt and hubels , and they have to rearrange the letters to make a word, such as kitten and bushel . It is known that anagram solutions show priming effects derived from earlier exposure to the target words (e.g., Dominowski & Ekstrand, 1967; Jablonski & Mueller, 1972).…”

Section: Nature and Logic Of Evidencementioning

confidence: 99%

How many memory systems are there?

Tulving¹

1985

American Psychologist

1,648

938

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Memory is made up of a number of interrelated systems, organized structures of operating components consisting of neural substrates and their behavioral and cognitive correlates. A ternary classificatory scheme of memory is proposed in which procedural, semantic, and episodic memory constitute a "monohierarchical" arrangement: Episodic memory is a specialized subsystem of semantic memory, and semantic memory is a specialized subsystem of procedural memory. The three memory systems differ from one another in a number of ways, including the kind of consciousness that characterizes their operations. The ternary scheme overlaps with dichotomies and trichotomies of memory proposed by others. Evidence for multiple systems is derived from many sources. Illustrative data are provided by experiments in which direct priming effects are found to be both functionally and stochastically independent of recognition memory.

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“…The present results clearly confirm the priming effect in anagram solving that has been previously reported (Dominowski & Ekstrand. 1967 ;Jablonski & Mueller, 1972) . However, the suggestion that there may be an inverse frequency effect from pri~r inci~en~~exposure to target words and the more strongly indicated inhibitory effect of recall of such words raise intriguing questions.…”

Section: Recallmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of frequency of prior incidental occurrence and recall of target words on anagram solution

Marx

1982

Bull. Psychon. Soc.

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Anagram solution was investigated as a function of the frequency of occurrence of target words in an immediately preceding, and presumably unrelated, word-completion task. Word recall in that task was found to be a negatively accelerated function of the frequency of occurrence. Anagram solution, however, was found to be inversely related to recall (recalled words were reliably less likely to be solved) and also, although not reliably, to the frequency of recurrence of target words in the prior task. These results are interpreted as suggesting that cognition, at least under some circumstances and as measured by recall, may be inversely related to transfer and, more generally, that cognitive factors need to be supplemented by noncognitive factors in the interpretation of learning and transfer.The problem with which this experiment was concerned is the role of frequency of incidental occurrence , and subsequent recall, of target words prior to anagram solving in which the words are part of some of the solutions .This work relates most directly to previous research both on incidental learning and on anagram solving. Frequency of incidental cue occurrence has been shown to be a significant determinant of recall (e.g., Cowan, 1980). In anagram research, one report (Dominowski & Ekstrand , 1967) has indicated that prior presentation of semantic associates to target words can facilitate solution , although such associative priming was not confirmed in a later report (J ablonski & Mueller, 1972). In both of these experiments, however, facilitation of anagram solutions was found when the priming list was composed of target words themselves. METHOD SubjectsFifty high school students (30 female, 20 male) from two psychology classes participated. . TasksIn Task I , the subjects were instructed to fill in one-lett er gaps in three-and four-lett er common English words, so as to make complete words; they were given three trials on each of This work was support ed in part by a Research Career Award from the National Institute of Mental Health and a grant from the Army Research Institute for Behavioral and Social Sciences. Th e opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not constit ute endorsement by the U.S. Army. Thanks are due Joan Girnis, psychology teacher at Naples (F lorida) High School, for making her two classes available for this research, which was conducted in accordance with approved safeguards. James Broyles assisted in preparation of test materials , and Kathleen Marx assisted in the collection and analysis of the data. 24 words (e.g., ti.;e, _ now, _ ot). A 2-min free recall test was administered with out advance notice for complete words after the third trial. Task 2 was then presented as a separate experiment ; the subjects were given 48 anagrams to solve. Each anagram consisted of the scrambled letters of a common twoword phrase. DesignEach of the 24 words presented in Task 1 offered an opportunity to complete a word that was subsequently part of a solution in Task 2 (e.g., tire for flat tire,~no...

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Anagram solution as a function of instructions, priming, and imagery.

Cited by 14 publications

References 12 publications

Solving anagrams as a function of word frequency, imagery and distribution of practice.

Solving anagrams as a function of word frequency, imagery and distribution of practice.

How many memory systems are there?

Effects of frequency of prior incidental occurrence and recall of target words on anagram solution

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