| Abstract: | Amnesic patients were studied to determine whether the acquisition and retention of item-specific skills can be supported by nondeclarative (implicit) memory. In Exp 1, Ss read 2 different passages 3 times in succession. Reading speed improved at a similar rate in both amnesic patients and normal Ss and was specific to the text that was read. In Exp 2, amnesic patients and normal Ss read a passage 3 successive times and then reread the same passage after a 0-sec, 10-min, 2-hr, or 1-day delay. In both groups, facilitation persisted for at least 10 min and disappeared within 2 hrs. It is suggested that facilitated reading speed depends importantly on both semantic and perceptual information and that such information can be supported by nondeclarative memory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved) |
