Decision processing in memory: Factors influencing the storage and retrieval of linguistic and form identification

As a test of the notion that the meaning of a sentence is stored in a schematic fashion, Bransford and Franks (1971) presented the results of recognition experiments indicating that new sentences containing all of the information conveyed by simpler sentences are more likely to be misidentified as having been seen earlier than sentences containing only part of the earlier information. The present experiment, employing a signal detection framework, found this effect to be due not only to schematic organization, but to the retention of the “form ” of the originally presented sentences as well. The form of new sentences conveying only part of the earlier information was better remembered (and less frequently confused) than new, complex sentences. The implications of this finding for a schematic view of memory are discussed.