Order effects and vowel decay in short-term memory: the neutralization hypothesis
Résumé
Information stored in short-term memory decays extremely fast compared to the content of long-term
memory. The nature of this memory loss being little
known (random or systematic), this paper examines
the presentation order effect in the light of the neutralization hypothesis, according to which the first
vowel in a pair decays, while retained in short-term
memory, toward [er]. Twelve French listeners participated in three AX roving discrimination sessions.
For each of the 10 vowel categories of French, a
prototype and four satellite tokens were synthesized.
Tokens were paired with themselves as well as with
the prototype (in both orders of presentation). Results
revealed minor or major order effects within every phonetic category. However, the neutralization
hypothesis could not account for at least half of these asymmetries. An alternative model, which adopts the periphery of the vowel space as a reference area, appears to fit best with our data.
memory. The nature of this memory loss being little
known (random or systematic), this paper examines
the presentation order effect in the light of the neutralization hypothesis, according to which the first
vowel in a pair decays, while retained in short-term
memory, toward [er]. Twelve French listeners participated in three AX roving discrimination sessions.
For each of the 10 vowel categories of French, a
prototype and four satellite tokens were synthesized.
Tokens were paired with themselves as well as with
the prototype (in both orders of presentation). Results
revealed minor or major order effects within every phonetic category. However, the neutralization
hypothesis could not account for at least half of these asymmetries. An alternative model, which adopts the periphery of the vowel space as a reference area, appears to fit best with our data.
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