The role of memory in the construction of linear orderings

Two experiments examined the construction of linear orderings (e.g., ABCD) from presented pairs of adjacent items (e.g., AB, BC, CD) in an attempt to determine why some orders of presentation are more difficult than others. Experiment 1 found order effects when participants constructed orderings but not when they simply recalled presented pairs, suggesting that order effects reflect processing difficulties encountered during construction. Experiment 2 used several different orders and successive and simultaneous visual presentation of pairs. Results showed that order effects can be attributed to the memory load imposed by certain pairs, the type of processing demanded, the need to reorder previously stored information, and the loss of information with continued rehearsal. Results strongly support the Foos, Smith, Sabol, and Mynatt (1976) model of linear construction.