title: Free recall of everyday retrospective and prospective memories: the intention-superiority effect is moderated by action versus state orientation and by gender.
abstract: Individual differences in the relative accessibility of everyday memories were investigated. Based on the theory of action control described by Kuhl and colleagues (Kuhl and Beckmann, 1994b), an intention-superiority effect (heightened activation and accessibility of intentions--i.e., prospective memories--compared to retrospective memories) was predicted for state-oriented individuals, but not action-oriented individuals. As predicted, only state-oriented individuals showed an intention-superiority effect, recalling more prospective than retrospective real-life memories. In addition, females, but not males, showed an intention-superiority effect in retrieval of the most accessible memories, memories recalled in the first minute. These results show important moderator variables for the intention-superiority effect and extend previous research to real-life, everyday memories.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA. spenning@uwyo.edu
authors.forename: Suzanna L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Penningroth
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012737:Sex Factors