Strategy effects and value directed recall of sub- and supra-span word lists

Abstract Value cues can promote selective processing of words in lists of 12 or more items leading to better recall of memoranda associated with higher value. The current study examined whether value cues can also benefit memory for words studied in shorter lists, including those within the normative range of verbal working memory span (~four items). Across four experiments, participants studied words randomly paired with different point values in lists of three to 12 items, followed by immediate free recall. When list length varied randomly and participants could not anticipate memory set size, value-directed effects were evident for all list lengths: Words of higher-value were better recalled than lower-value words, even for lists lengths 3 and 4, demonstrating value-directed memory (VDM) effects within the canonical parameters of working memory. In contrast, with advanced knowledge of list length, value effects emerged only for lists of five or more words and overall recall was better for lower value words than when list length was unexpected, especially for shorter lists. Serial position and output order analyses corroborated these results. The current VDM effects, found in-person, and replicated with online testing, extend prior evidence indicating prioritization based on value within the parameters of working memory. The results also underscore the importance of metamemory in value-based effects: When anticipating word lists with relatively few items (three or four words), value cues can be ignored in favor of more efficient memory strategies, which results in discontinuities in VDM effects for shorter versus longer lists.