How syntactic structure and cue position affect working memory for connected discourse
Abstract
[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI--COLUMBIA AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The current study explored working memory for connected discourse, as well as the potential roles of syntactic structure and cue position in such memory. Methods were adapted from a previous study (Jarvella, 1971) to control for potentially confounding factors. In two experiments, participants' main task was to listen to short passages of connected discourse and then immediately recall word for word the final portion of the speech, starting from a given cue phrase. Three major findings emerged. First, the most recent clause was recalled almost perfectly and more accurately than was any preceding clause. Second, the way syntactic structure influenced recall depended on the type of recall (i.e., verbatim versus gist) and on the position of the affected clause within the passage (i.e., the most recent clause versus preceding clauses). Third, and finally, recall was more accurate when cued by words from a more recent clause than when cued by those from a less recent clause, implying the presence of output interference. These results support some commonly accepted views on language while challenging others, thereby not only giving answers to several questions about working memory for connected discourse, but also offering new understanding of the topic.
Degree
M.A.
Thesis Department
Rights
Access to files is restricted to the University of Missouri--Columbia