Campbell, J. , Dowd, R. & Thompson, V.
University of Saskatchewan
We investigated retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) of simple-addition facts (2 + 3 = 5) from practice of their multiplication counterparts (2 × 3 = 6). Experiment 1 demonstrated a response time cost (RIF) for addition with multiplication practiced in word format (three × four) and addition tested later in digit format (3 + 4). This is evidence that digit and written-word formats for arithmetic accessed a common semantic retrieval network. In Experiment 2, Chinese-English bilinguals presented RIF when multiplication practice and addition test were in the same language relative to different languages. Language-specific RIF implies language-specific memory stores for arithmetic.