title: Improved memory for error feedback.
abstract: Surprising feedback in a general knowledge test leads to an improvement in memory for both the surface features and the content of the feedback (Psychon Bull Rev 16:88-92, 2009). Based on the idea that in cognitive tasks, error is surprising (the orienting account, Cognition 111:275-279, 2009), we tested whether error feedback would be better remembered than correct feedback. Colored words were presented as feedback signals in a flanker task, where the color indicated the accuracy. Subsequently, these words were again presented during a recognition task (Experiment 1) or a lexical decision task (Experiments 2 and 3). In all experiments, memory was improved for words seen as error feedback. These results are compared to the attentional boost effect (J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn 39:1223-12231, 2013) and related to the orienting account for post-error slowing (Cognition 111:275-279, 2009).
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. liesbet.vanderborght@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Liesbet
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van der Borght
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schouppe
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Notebaert
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D030141:Feedback, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology*; D000072458:Orientation, Spatial; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology