The Effect of Noise on Memory for Spoken Syllables

Two experiments explore the effects of noise on memory for spoken syllables. Participants identified and then recalled nonsense syllables under different levels of noise. There were significant decrements in memory, even in conditions where there was no effect of the noise on identification of the syllable. The experiments showed effects over all list positions as well as decreases in the final, or recency, portion of the curve. Results suggest that both capacity and dual‐coding play a role in immediate memory.