Influences of test expectations on memory-processing strategies

In a series of four experiments, recall and recognition performance were examined following recall and recognition instructions. It was found that recall-instructed subjects produced significantly better performance than recognition-instructed subjects on tests of ordered and free recall of words, particularly on the early part of the list (Experiments 1 and 2). The results of two further experiments suggest that this is mediated by differences occurring at input, and is due to increased rehearsal by subjects expecting a recall test (Experiments 3 and 4).