| The present study used an encoding-retrieval design to investigate the role of distinct spelling-to-sound correspondence (e.g., pint) in word recognition and episodic memory performance. At encoding, participants either named or made lexical decisions to high and low frequency regular words and exception words. At retrieval, participants were given either a surprise free recall test (Experiment 1) or an episodic recognition test (Experiment 2). The results indicate that (1) there was a frequency by regularity interaction in both naming and lexical decision performance; (2) exception words were recalled better than regular words, regardless of word frequency and regardless of orienting task; (3) frequency and regularity were additive in episodic recognition, producing mirror effects in hit rates and false alarm rates, regardless of orienting task; (4) using “remember-know” metamemory judgments, the beneficial influence of phonological distinctiveness on hit rates was reflected in “remember” responses; and (5) consistent with transfer appropriate processing, the phonological distinctiveness effect was larger in hit rates when naming was used as the orienting task at encoding rather than lexical decision. These results are interpreted within an attentional control framework in which exception words are more likely to receive conceptual processing at encoding than regular words. Unlike regular words, exception words violate the spelling-to-sound correspondence rules of the English language. Hence, attention may be directed to meaning for exception words to help resolve irregular spelling-to-sound correspondence, thereby increasing episodic memory for exception words relative to regular words, independent of word frequency. |
