Interitem encoding and directed search in free recall.

The paper proposes a cognitive structure consistent with principles of encoding and a rule for its utilization in verbal recall. The encoding and utilization rules lead to phenomena similar to known serial position effects. A detailed analysis of overt rehearsal data and other experimental results are presented in support of the claim that encoding and search mechanisms characterized by these rules could be important factors in serial position effects of verbal recall. Similar rules might be helpful in dealing with other tasks which seem to mirror the utilization of a cognitive structure.