Survival of the selfish: contrasting self-referential and survival-based encoding.
Processing information in the context of personal survival scenarios elicits a memory advantage, relative to other rich encoding conditions such as self-referencing. However, previous research is unable to distinguish between the influence of survival and self-reference because personal survival is a self-referent encoding context. To resolve this issue, participants in the current study processed items in the context of their own survival and a familiar other person's survival, as well as in a semantic context. Recognition memory for the items revealed that personal survival elicited a memory advantage relative to semantic encoding, whereas other-survival did not. These findings reinforce suggestions that the survival effect is closely tied with self-referential encoding, ensuring that fitness information of potential importance to self is successfully retained in memory.
School of Psychology, University of Aberdeen, Dundee, United Kingdom. s.cunningham@abertay.ac.uk
Sheila J
SJ
Cunningham
Mirjam
M
Brady-Van den Bos
Lucy
L
Gill
David J
DJ
Turk
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D012660:Semantics; D013534:Survival / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult