Effects of set-inducing instructions on recall from dichotic inputs

Manipulated the dichotic listening strategies of 32 female undergraduates in both selective- and divided-attention situations by means of instructions. 16 Ss were told to expect to recall 3 digits from shadowed messages of variable lengths and 16 that they would be tested for digit recall primarily on the simultaneously presented nonshadowed digit string messages. The predicted Instructions * Recall Channel interaction was significant for Ss in both selective- and divided-attention conditions. Overall, digit recall accuracy did not differ for the 2 instructional groups, suggesting that Ss allot a limited amount to attentional capacity in a manner determined by instructions and task demands. Results are discussed in terms of active vs. passive theories of attention. (18 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).