ABSTRACT
The focus of the present study is the question of whether behavioral information and traits can be retrieved independently from memory. In a modified recognition experiment person descriptions were presented. Later, either a behavior or a trait was presented as a test item and subjects had to decide whether the behavior was included in the description or the trait could be inferred. Results indicated that the decision time for behaviors as test items was independent of the number of traits inferable. This finding supports two-memory conceptions of person memory, which suggest that two kinds of representations are available. One representation is trait-based and in the other behavioral information is available. This construct was supported by the data that indicated the decision time for traits as test items was partially invariant with respect to the number of behaviors included in the person description. Distinct individual differences in the relationship between decision time for traits as test items and the number of behaviors appeared, implying individual decision strategies in recognizing persons. Calculated operation times of individuals clustered closely around 3 × 54, 4 × 54 and 5 × 54 msec. These quantal levels of timing are consistent with predictions of the time-quantum model (TQM).
