| Memory: Sternberg 1966 | |
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| Script Name | HighspeedScanning.zip |
| Stimulus Materials | |
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Sample Data Files |
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| Citation | Sternberg, S. (1966). High speed scanning in human memory. Science 153, 652-654. (pdf) |
| Summary of Experiment |
The top experiment shows 1-6 digits and then a probe that may or may not have been in the list. The second experiment shows 2 or 4 digits, then a probe. This should show that scanning through digits in memory is a serial process that takes a certain amount of time per digit. Even if the digit is present, however, it takes almost exactly the same time it would take if the digit were not present, suggesting that the search is exhaustive rather than terminating. |
| Related Studies in this Corpus | Conway and Engle 1996 |
| Works this Study Cites | {Study WC} |
| Works in Set that Cite this Study | Posner and Mitchell 1967, Schneider and Shiffrin 1977 |
| Original Abstract | When subjects judge whether a test symbol is contained in a short memorized sequence of symbols, their mean reaction-time increases linearly with the length of the sequence. The linearity and slope of the function imply the existence of an internal serial-comparison process whose average rate is between 25 and 30 symbols per second. |
| Works Used to Replicate Experment | {Works Cited} |
| Data Analysis Instructions | {Data Instructions} |
| Date Modified |
12-Mar-2002 |
| Contact for More Information | Brian MacWhinney |