title: Reinstatement versus reactivation effects on active memory in infants.
abstract: Reinstatement and reactivation are procedurally different reminder paradigms used with infants and children, but most developmental psychologists do not distinguish between them. In 4 experiments with 102 three-month-olds, we asked if they differ functionally as well. Independent groups of infants received either a reactivation or a reinstatement reminder 3 days after training, when the memory is active, but its specific details have been forgotten. In Experiment 1, we measured retention after increasing delays until infants forgot altogether. A single reinstatement protracted retention twice as long after training as a single reactivation. In Experiments 2-4, whether the reminder was the original training stimulus or a novel one differentially affected the duration and specificity of memory in the 2 procedures as well. These data demonstrate that the distinction between reinstatement and reactivation is not artificial. In addition to differing procedurally, reinstatement and reactivation differ functionally, with different memory-preserving effects.
authors.affiliation: Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8020, USA.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Adler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wilk
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rovee-Collier
mesh_terms: D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors