Integrated retrieval cues as a mechanism for priming in retrieval from memory.

Spreading-activation theories are contrasted with composite retrieval-cue theories in priming of associative judgments. Under spreading activation, priming causes a change of memory state from quiet to active before the appearance of a test item. Under retrieval-cue theories, the prime is combined with the test item during retrieval. Spreading-activation models must predict that a relation between the prime and one element of a mispaired test will damage rejection—the partial-overlap prediction. Some retrieval-cue theories avoid this prediction with composite representations. We present one speed-accuracy trade-off and two reaction time experiments that demonstrate substantial discriminative priming (increasing hits more than false alarms) without consistent partial-overlap effects. Results suggest a combined retrieval-cue account of priming and independent storage of composites and parts (e.g., B. B. Murdock; see record 1983-04936-001). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)