The production effect and the generation effect improve memory in picture naming

The production e ff ect (better memory for words read aloud than words read silently) and the picture superiority e ff ect (better memory for pictures than words) both improve item memory in a picture naming task (Fawcett, J. M., Quinlan, C. K., & Taylor, T. L. (2012). Interplay of the production and picture superiority e ff ects: A signal detection analysis. Memory (Hove, England ), 20(7), 655 – 666. doi:10.1080/09658211.2012.693510). Because picture naming requires coming up with an appropriate label, the generation e ff ect (better memory for generated than read words) may contribute to the latter e ff ect. In two forced-choice memory experiments, we tested the role of generation in a picture naming task on later recognition memory. In Experiment 1, participants named pictures silently or aloud with the correct name or an unreadable label superimposed. We observed a generation e ff ect, a production e ff ect, and an interaction between the two. In Experiment 2, unreliable labels were included to ensure full picture processing in all conditions. In this experiment, we observed a production and a generation e ff ect but no interaction, implying the e ff ects are dissociable. This research demonstrates the separable roles of generation and production in picture naming and their impact on memory. As such, it informs the link between memory and language production and has implications for memory asymmetries between language production and comprehension