title: Are Clinicians Better Than Lay Judges at Recalling Case Details? An Evaluation of Expert Memory.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the role of expertise in clinicians' memory for case details. Clinicians' diagnostic formulations may afford mechanisms for retaining and retrieving information.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experts (N = 41; 47.6% males, 23.8% females; 28.6% did not report gender; age: mean [M] = 54.69) were members of the American Board of Professional Psychologists. Lay judges (N = 156; 25.4% males, 74.1% females; age: M = 18.85) were undergraduates enrolled in general psychology. Three vignettes were presented to each group, creating a 2 (group: expert, lay judge) x 3 (vignettes: simple, complex-coherent, complex-incoherent) mixed factorial design. Recall accuracy for vignette details was the dependent variable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data analyses used multivariate analyses of variance to detect group differences among multiple continuous variables. Experts recalled more information than lay judges, overall. However, experts also exhibited more false memories for the complex-incoherent case because of their schema-based knowledge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study supported clinical expertise as beneficial. Nonetheless, negative influences from experts' schema-based knowledge, as exhibited, could adversely affect clinical practices.
authors.affiliation: Mississippi State University.
authors.forename: Christopher A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.affiliation: Mississippi State University.
authors.forename: Jared W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Keeley
authors.affiliation: Mississippi State University.
authors.forename: Deborah K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Eakin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005104:Expert Testimony / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000592:standards*; D011584:Psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: clinical decision making; expertise; false memory; schema-based knowledge