nformation is verbally coded as well as the span of apprehension (memory). Consequently increasing the ability of subjects to report more of the information available to them.
             Sperling's test presented a 3 x 3 matrix of letters, flashed for 50 milli-seconds (msec.). Instead of using the full-report method of previous studies (report as much as you can of the whole display), he used a new partial-report method. In his within subjects study, participants saw the display of letters, and then heard a tone that was high-pitched, medium-pitched or low-pitched. The high-pitched tone indicated to report the top line of the display. The medium tone indicated to report the middle line of the display. The low tone indicated to report the bottom line of the display.
             According to Sperling's research, individuals were able to report 80% of the letters on a line, if the tone was sounded just before the letters were presented. That drops only slightly, to about 75% when the tone immediately follows the letters. Sperling's experiment showed that the limit in report of letters from a brief visual display was due to a rapid decay of the icon. The longer the icon or stimulus is present the more information one can encode and therefore recall. Limited duration recall is due to the rate of decay of the icon. The longer an individual waits to recall a given stimulus the less he or she can recall. When knowing the duration and the capacity of the visua
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