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. 1987 Jan;13(1):27-35.
doi: 10.1037//0278-7393.13.1.27.

Remembering left-right orientation of pictures

Remembering left-right orientation of pictures

J C Bartlett et al. J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 1987 Jan.

Abstract

In a study of recognition memory for pictures, we observed an asymmetry in classifying test items as "same" versus "different" in left-right orientation: Identical copies of previously viewed items were classified more accurately than left-right reversals of those items. Response bias could not explain this asymmetry, and, moreover, correct "same" and "different" classifications were independently manipulable: Whereas repetition of input pictures (one vs. two presentations) affected primarily correct "same" classifications, retention interval (3 hr vs. 1 week) affected primarily correct "different" classifications. In addition, repetition but not retention interval affected judgments that previously seen pictures (both identical and reversed) were "old". These and additional findings supported a dual-process hypothesis that links "same" classifications to high familiarity, and "different" classifications to conscious sampling of images of previously viewed pictures.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A hypothetical dual-process hypothesis for picture recognition and left–right confusions. (Shown are familiarity distributions for identical test items [right-most distribution], reversed test items, and entirely new lures [left-most distribution], and vertical lines representing high-[right-most line] and low-[left-most line] familiarity criteria.)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mean probabilities of “old” judgments (top panels), correct orientation classifications (middle panels) and correct classifications, given an “old” judgment (bottom panels) for identical-copy items (filled circles) and left–right reversals (empty circles) by repetition condition (left panels) and retention interval (right panels).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Mean probabilities of “twice” judgments to identical-copy items (filled circles) and left–right reversals (empty circles) by repetition condition (left panels) and retention interval (right panels). The bottom panels show the mean conditional probabilities of “twice” judgments, given recognition of items as “old”.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Mean probabilities of “recent” (“today”) judgments to identical-copy items (filled circles) and left–right reversals (empty circles) by repetition condition (left panels) and retention interval (right panels). The lower panels show the mean conditional probabilities of “recent” (“today”) judgments, given recognition of items as “old”.

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