title: Optimal testing time for suppression of competitors during interference resolution.
abstract: Interference between competing memory traces is a common cause of memory failure. Recent research has demonstrated a suppression mechanism that operates at retrieval to resolve interference. Using an adaptation of the suppression paradigm in Healey, Ngo, and Hasher [(2014). Below-baseline suppression of competitors during interference resolution by younger but not older adults. Psychological Science, 25(1), 145-151. doi: 10.1177/0956797613501169 ], we tested whether the ability to suppress competing memory traces varies with the synchrony between optimal arousal period and time of testing. We replicate the below-baseline suppression effect for young adults tested at optimal times of day, and present novel evidence that they do not show competitor suppression during non-optimal times of day. In fact, competitors are actually strengthened at non-optimal times. Our results suggest that the ability to resolve interference by suppression varies with circadian arousal.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Toronto , Toronto , ON , Canada.|b Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre , Toronto , ON , Canada.
authors.forename: K W Joan
authors.initials: KWJ
authors.lastname: Ngo
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Toronto , Toronto , ON , Canada.|b Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre , Toronto , ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hasher
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D011939:Mental Recall; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Suppression; chronotype; circadian; inhibition