School of Psychology Research Groups:

Immediate serial recall and the word-length effect

Researchers

Dr. Peter Lovatt

The word-length effect is the finding that lists of short words are easier to recall than lists of long words.

According to Baddeley (1986) the WLE is indicative of time-based decay and rehearsal processes.

Our findings suggest that Baddeley's account does not provide a complete explanantion of the locus of the full range of findings associated with the effect and we are working to provide a more satisfactory explanation of the word-length effect.

Research Leader