Global subjective memorability and the strength-based mirror effect in recognition memory.
Between-list manipulations of memory strength through repetition commonly generate a mirror effect, with more hits and fewer false alarms for strengthened items. However, this pattern is rarely seen with within-list manipulations of strength. In three experiments, we investigated the conditions under which a within-list mirror effect of strength (items presented once or thrice) is observed. In Experiments 1 and 2, we indirectly manipulated the overall subjective memorability of the studied lists by varying the proportion of nonwords. A within-list mirror effect was observed only in Experiment 2, in which a higher proportion of nonwords was presented in the study list. In Experiment 3, the presentation duration for each item (0.5 vs. 3 sec) was manipulated between groups with the purpose of affecting subjective memorability. A within-list mirror effect was observed only for the short presentation durations. Thus, across three experiments, we found the within-list mirror effect only under conditions of poor overall subjective memorability. We propose that when the overall subjective memorability is low, people switch their response strategy on an item-by-item basis and that this generates the observed mirror effect.
Bruno
Davide
D
University of Southampton, Southampton, England. davbruno@psych.umass.edu
Higham
Philip A
PA
Perfect
Timothy J
TJ
D001245:Association Learning; D001288:Attention; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D012660:Semantics; D017603:Signal Detection, Psychological; D014706:Verbal Learning; D014825:Vocabulary
J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2009 Jan;35(1):57-80
19210081
J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 1994 Nov;20(6):1341-54
7983467
Acta Psychol (Amst). 1998 Apr;98(2-3):141-65
9621828
J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2000 May;26(3):547-65
10855417
Mem Cognit. 2006 Jan;34(1):125-37
16686112
J Exp Psychol Gen. 1988 Mar;117(1):34-50
2966230
Mem Cognit. 1997 Nov;25(6):780-4
9421563
Mem Cognit. 2007 Mar;35(2):254-62
17645166
J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 1992 Jul;18(4):681-90
1385609
Mem Cognit. 2007 Jun;35(4):679-88
17848026
Mem Cognit. 2002 Jan;30(1):67-80
11958356
Psychol Rev. 1993 Jul;100(3):546-67
8356189
J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 1998 Nov;24(6):1379-96
9835059
J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2005 Nov;31(6):1186-98
16393039
Mem Cognit. 1985 Jan;13(1):8-20
4010518
Mem Cognit. 2008 Jun;36(4):703-15
18604954
Psychon Bull Rev. 1997 Jun;4(2):145-66
21331823
J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2007 Mar;33(2):305-20
17352613
Psychol Rev. 1998 Oct;105(4):724-60
9830377
J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2002 Nov;28(6):1095-110
12450335