scholarly journals Does Depth of Processing Affect Temporal Contiguity?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abigail Marie Dester Mundorf ◽  
Mitchell Uitvlugt ◽  
Karl Healey

Memory tends to be better when items are processed for their meaning (deep processing) rather than their perceptual features (shallow processing). This levels of processing (LOP) effect is well-replicated and has been applied in many settings, but the mechanisms involved are still not well understood. The temporal contiguity effect (TCE), the finding that recalling one event often triggers recall of another event experienced nearby in time, also predicts memory performance. This effect has given rise to several competing theories with specific contiguity-generating mechanisms related to how items are processed. Therefore, studying how LOP and the TCE interact may shed light on the mechanisms underlying both effects. However, it is unknown how LOP and the TCE interact—the various theories make differing predictions. In this preregistered study, we tested predictions of three theoretical explanations: accounts which assume temporal information is automatically encoded, accounts based on a trade-off between item and order information, and accounts which emphasize the importance of strategic control processes. Participants completed an immediate free recall task where they either engaged in deep processing, shallow processing, or no additional task while studying each word. Recall and the TCE were highest for no-task lists and greater for deep than shallow processing. Our results support theories which assume temporal associations are automatically encoded and those which emphasize strategic control processes. Both perspectives should be considered in theory development. These findings also suggest temporal information may contribute to better recall under deeper processing with implications in determining which situations benefit from deep processing.

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (8) ◽  
pp. 1319-1344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhenmei Zhang ◽  
Jinyu Liu ◽  
Lydia Li ◽  
Hongwei Xu

Objective: This study examined the association between childhood conditions and cognitive function among middle-aged and older adults in China. Method: We analyzed data from the 2011 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study ( N = 11,868). Cognitive function was measured by word recall, a test of episodic memory. We examined the association between childhood conditions and cognitive function among the middle-aged (45-59 years) and the older (60 years and older) adults separately, using multilevel linear regressions. Results: Indicators of childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and nutrition were significantly associated with memory performance among the middle-aged and the older adults in China. Adulthood SES, education in particular, accounted for some but not all the associations. The protective effect of childhood urban residence was stronger for middle-aged women than for middle-aged men. Discussion: Childhood conditions are significantly associated with mid- to late-life cognitive function in China. The strengths of the associations may vary by gender and cohort.


1987 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 167-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernadette M. Gadzella ◽  
Dean W. Ginther ◽  
J. David Williamson

Correlations between scores on the Deep Processing Scale of the Inventory of Learning Processes, the CAI Study Skills Test scales and academic achievement as GPA were assessed. Also, differences between deep and shallow processors on study skills were examined for 132 undergraduates from psychology classes. Knowledge of certain study skills is related to a student's facility in deep processing, while knowledge of other study-skills strategies is largely unrelated to deep or shallow processing styles of learning. Deep and shallow processors did not differ significantly on study skills, although mean scores for deep processors were consistently higher.


2017 ◽  
Vol 121 (3) ◽  
pp. 430-444
Author(s):  
Richard Perlow ◽  
Mia Jattuso

Researchers have operationalized working memory in different ways and although working memory–performance relationships are well documented, there has been relatively less attention devoted to determining whether seemingly similar measures yield comparable relations with performance outcomes. Our objective is to assess whether two working memory measures deploying the same processes but different item content yield different relations with two problem-solving criteria. Participants completed a computation-based working memory measure and a reading-based measure prior to performing a computerized simulation. Results reveal differential relations with one of the two criteria and support the notion that the two working memory measures tap working memory capacity and other cognitive abilities. One implication for theory development is that researchers should consider incorporating other cognitive abilities in their working memory models and that the selection of those abilities should correspond to the criterion of interest. One practical implication is that researchers and practitioners shouldn’t automatically assume that different phonological loop-based working memory scales are interchangeable.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kieron D Edwards ◽  
Anne Dubberke ◽  
Nadin Meyer ◽  
Simone Kugel ◽  
Juliane Hellhammer

Background: Cognitive health is a major concern for many people, and with potential benefits to academic and professional life, maximising cognitive performance is of interest far beyond the older demographics. Several natural products have been suggested as nootropics, including the herb sage. Previous assessments of various Salvia species have reported a range of effects on cognitive performance and mood in both older adult and younger adult populations. This study was conducted with SibeliusTM: Sage, an aqueous-ethanol extract of S. officinalis, to assess for the beneficial effects on cognitive performance in adolescents (12-14 year olds) and young adults (18-25 year olds). Methods and Findings: An acute, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted with two single doses of SibeliusTM: Sage (150 mg and 300 mg). Cognitive performance was evaluated using CogTrackTM, which probes aspects of cognitive performance covering attention, working memory and episodic/declarative memory through a series of computer-based tasks. Consistent with previous study of SibeliusTM: Sage a significant effect was seen on the Immediate Word Recall task in young adults; suggesting acute treatment benefits to verbal episodic/declarative memory performance. Physiological effects of the treatment on salivary cortisol and oxytocin levels, as well as blood pressure and heart rate were also assessed, with limited evidence of an effect on these factors. No adverse events or side-effects linked to the study product intake was observed. The study was registered at the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS-ID: DRKS00015716). Conclusions: A significant improvement due to the Sage extract was shown for a task assessing short-term episodic memory (Immediate Word Recall), supporting beneficial effects on cognitive performance in young adults that are consistent with previous reports in healthy older adults. These findings suggest that further investigation of the effects observed in this study in larger, long-term human volunteer studies could be beneficial to pursue.


1999 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 682-697 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharina Henke ◽  
Neal E. A. Kroll ◽  
Hamraz Behniea ◽  
David G. Amaral ◽  
Michael B. Miller ◽  
...  

We present a longitudinal neuropsychological study (31 examinations over a period of 18 months) of patient DF. DF demonstrated bilateral atrophy of the hippocampal formation and globus pallidus resulting from carbon monoxide poisoning. Eighteen months after the event, the volume of the hippocampal formation was reduced by 42% on the left side and 28% on the right. The patient initially presented with a severe global amnesia. Then, he showed a gradual, yet selective recovery of episodic memory function. Verbal free recall and spatial memory performance remained reduced, whereas immediate word recall and recognition memory, as well as picture learning and memory, improved to levels at the lower range of normal performance. Interestingly, nonspatial associative learning was never much impaired and recovered completely by the end of testing. These data are taken as evidence that the human hippocampal formation does not equally support different forms of episodic memory.


2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 689-699 ◽  
Author(s):  
Per B. Sederberg ◽  
Jonathan F. Miller ◽  
Marc W. Howard ◽  
Michael J. Kahana

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Alho ◽  
Pedro F. S. Rodrigues ◽  
Cátia Fidalgo

Eyewitness memory is widely studied in the forensic context, due to their proneness to make unreliable testimonies. Understanding which factors may impact memory is determinant to avoid wrongful convictions in court. In this exploratory study, the relation between stress and anxiety and memory errors (spontaneous and induced) was analyzed being hypothesized that negative emotions may impair memory performance. Crime and neutral videos were presented to 80 volunteer university students in a between subject-design. They were asked to fill some stress and anxiety scales throughout the experimental task, as well as a free recall task. Also, it was presented several questions about the videos in which spontaneous and induced errors were assessed. Results suggests that stress and anxiety did not influence the quantity of memory errors for both genders. However, overall memory performance was poor for both groups. Our results were discussed in light to existing theories about the relation between stress-anxiety and memory.


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