Why hierarchical retrieval schemes do not facilitate recall: A cue overload explanation

Compared recall using single- vs dual-level retrieval schemes and predicted that the dual-level (hierarchial) scheme would be used more. 30 college students were induced to encode 128 words using either a single-level organizational scheme consisting of 32 categories, or a multilevel organizational scheme consisting of 8 superordinate categories each divisible into 4 subordinate categories. Subsequent recall was quite high and did not differ in either organization condition. Furthermore, analyses of recall protocols provide independent evidence for greater use of hierarchical organization during retrieval in the multi-level vs single-level condition. A cue-overload explanation is offered for the failure of hierarchical organization to facilitate recall. Results challenge the assumption that the human memory is inept at recalling more than 7 units without employing hierarchical organization. (French abstract) (8 ref)