Context and inferential cuing of sentence recall

Sentence memory was tested under a variety of encoding and retrieval conditions. Under instructions to learn free recall was as high as recall aided by cues based on inferences derivable from target sentences unless these cues were also present at encoding. When a specific context was provided at encoding in an incidental learning paradigm cues based on inferences relevant to the target sentences aided recall to the same extent as cues that explicitly appeared in the sentences. The results are consistent with the idea that inferred and explicit information are integrated in memory representations of linguistic inputs. Implications for interpretations of other studies involving retrieval cues based on inferential processes are discussed.