The list length and the list strength effects in recognition memory

Strengthening items in a list increases hit rates and decreases false alarm rates in recognition memory, known as the strength based mirror effect (SBME). The SBME has also been observed when study lists were mixed in strength but the test list consisted of only strong targets or only weak targets. However, the size of the SBME observed in the mixed list paradigm depends on the task employed to strengthen the items (e.g., spaced repetitions or levels of processing) and the length of the study list. The current study explores the role of the strengthening task and list length on the SBME observed in a mixed list paradigm. Participants studied a mixed list in which items were strengthened either via spaced repetitions or a levels of processing manipulation in varying list length conditions. The theoretical implications of the moderating effect of list length on the SBME will be discussed