Are some data structures more suitable for functional programming than others?

Question

In Real World Haskell, there is a section titled \"Life without arrays or hash tables\" where the authors suggest that list and trees are preferred in functional programming, w

Answer 1

Functional programs tend to put more emphasis on recursion. This, in turn, suggests the use of recursive algorithms and recursive data structures. Both lists and trees are recursive structures (the "next" link on a list is another list, and the children of a tree node are both trees).

You may want to reconsider if you're looking at extra expense on an algorithm. Why does the hash table (which is O(1) for a non-recursive algorithm) incur an extra expense? What advantage are you gaining by using it, as opposed to a tree or list?