The List-Length Effect on Long-Term Memory: Forgetting or Lack of Original Storage?

In a recent study by Shiffrin (1970) where list N was not recalled until after list N+1 had been studied, the length of List N was considered to be a variable that affected forgetting from long-term memory (LTM). However, due to a confounding in Shiffrin's design, recall failures could have been due either to forgetting from LTM or to lack of original storage in LTM. Using a modification of Shiffrin's procedure, the present study showed that the primary effect of list length is on original storage in LTM rather than on forgetting from LTM. (Author)