Recall of Complex and Simple Pictures in Mixed and Unmixed Lists

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Abstract
As a possible explanation for the superior retention of pictorial stimuli over their verbal labels [in humans], Jenkins and his associates [1967] advenced the incidental-cues hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, pictures are functionally equivalent to their name labels but it addition present a number of distincgive cues which make them more discriminable from other items in the list and from pre-experimental experience. Evidence for this theory has as yet been inconclusive and has mainly been sought by adding detail or color to simple pictures in an attempt to enhance their memborability. The present study investigated retention of 2 much more widely differing categories of pictorial stimuli than have generally been used. Stimulus materials were 24 photographs of common objects, pictured against a light background, and 24 photographs of complex scenes or events, rich in detail in both fore- and background, e.g., the interior of a factory, a street scene, etc. All photographs were made into black-and-white 35 mm slides. The results may be interpreted as corroborating the finding of others that effects of item attributes manifest themselves more strongly in mixed than unmixed lists. More specifically they support the conclusion that richness of incidental cues probably constitutes a minor factor in picture recall and only becomes effective under certain conditions, such as mixed-list presentation.

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