Neath et al. (1993) demonstrated that the suffix effect could be created or eliminated with identical suffix stimuli depending on what information about the suffix the listener was told in advance. This observation is a problem for the idea of echoic memory as a pre-categorical store, because ________.
A) it contradicts data on interference
B) if a pre-categorical modality specific acoustic store was the only cognitive process being used to recall the items, then the results should have been the same in both conditions
C) echoic memory does not have sufficient capacity
D) the observed effect depends on the length of the suffix

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If echoic memory were purely a pre-categorical, modality-specific acoustic store, then the knowledge or expectations of the listener should not affect the recall of items, as these are higher cognitive processes. The fact that the suffix effect could be manipulated by changing what the listener knew about the suffix suggests that higher cognitive processes are involved in the recall of items, challenging the notion of echoic memory as merely a pre-categorical store.

Neath Et Al