Scalp EEG was recorded as
participants retrieved previously studied word lists. A cued-recall procedure
was employed and serial output position of a list's items was
controlled by presenting the items' unique initial letters as retrieval
probes. Slow and fast theta oscillations were examined as a function of
retrieval success (recalled vs. not recalled items) and the items' output
position at test (tested-first vs. tested-last items). Success rates typically
decline as a function of the items' serial position in a testing sequence, a
finding known as output interference