Immediate and long-term retention for pictorial and verbal stimuli.

Although nouns of high imagery are generally recalled better than nouns of low imagery, both Palermo and Yuille have shown that retention for the former decreases with time. The present study tested the hypothesis that this decreased effectiveness occurs because images stored in long-term memory are accessible only through their verbal labels. 64 subjects were presented pictures and later asked to draw them or provide one-word descriptions. Other subjects were presented words and asked to recall them or draw representational pictures. Recall was tested immediately and 48 hr. later. Regardless of recall mode, subjects viewing pictures showed significantly greater recall than subjects viewing words, and for all subjects immediate recall was better.

Race and socioeconomic status as confounding variables in the accurate diagnosis of alcoholism.

Utilized two psychologists as actors in making four videotapes to depict background information and verbal modes of communication for alcoholics according to black-white race differences and high-low socioeconomic status. Forty graduate psychology students (10 per group) then were shown randomly one of the four recordings and asked to make a diagnosis. A significant difference was found for the effects of race, socioeconomic status, and race X socioeconomic status interaction on the correct diagnosis of alcoholism. Results were interpreted as suggesting that a clinician's personal biases and/or prejudices might extend into the clinical diagnosis and treatment of clients.