Dimensionality and Signal Detection Effects on a Short-Term Memory Task with Mentally Retarded Children

Abstract

The purpose was to compare a priori and d′ measures using data from Swanson and Watson's (1976) study with 10 mentally retarded children on a serial recognition task. Treatment main effects were similar using both measures. Significant primacy and recency effects were found with d′ measures, however, this was not found in a post hoc analysis of proportion correct scores. The results suggested that future investigations of serial recognition performance with emotionally mentally retarded children use an unbiased index of memory strength.