Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Study effort versus distinctiveness in the recollection of veridical and illusory memories

  • Research Report
  • Published:
Cognitive Processing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In past research, stimulus distinctiveness and study effort have been claimed to promote the development of distinctive memories, which in turn have been considered critical for enhancing veridical recollection and reducing illusory memory experiences. In the present investigation, stimulus distinctiveness, obtained by displaying text-redundant pictorial information at study, was pitted against study effort to determine whether either factor would be more beneficial to veridical recall and more detrimental to illusory recall than the other. Subjects first completed word fragments with or without the aid of an image of each word’s referent and then performed a recall test. It was found that when images were useful to the encoding task (fragment completion), their presence at study enhanced veridical recall and reduced illusory memories more than any additional encoding effort.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

References

  • Ashcraft MH (2005) Cognition. Prentice–Hall, New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

  • Barsalou LW (1993) Flexibility, structure, and linguistic vagary in concepts: manifestations of a compositional system of perceptual symbols. In: Collins AF, Gathercole SE, Conway MA, Morris PE (eds) Theories of memory. Erlbaum, Hillsdale, pp 29–101

    Google Scholar 

  • Budson AE, Sitarski J, Daffner KR, Schacter DL (2002) False recognition of pictures versus words in Alzheimer’s disease: the distinctiveness heuristic. Neuropsychology 16:163–173. doi:10.1037/0894-4105.16.2.163

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Daneman M, Ellis M (1995) Memory for expository text: the effects of verbal and pictorial enhancements. Educ Psychol 15:115–126. doi:10.1080/0144341950150201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deese J (1959) On the prediction of occurrence of particular verbal intrusions in immediate recall. J Exp Psychol 58:17–22. doi:10.1037/h0046671

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dewhurst SA, Conway MA (1994) Pictures, images, and recollective experience. J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn 20:1088–1098. doi:10.1037/0278-7393.20.5.1088

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dodson CS, Schacter DL (2001) “If I had said it I would have remembered it”: reducing false memories with the distinctiveness heuristic. Psychon Bull Rev 8:155–161

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fiedler K, Lachnit H, Fay D, Krug C (1992) Mobilization of cognitive resources and the generation effect. Q J Exp Psychol A 45A:149–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallo DA, Meadow NG, Johnson EL, Foster KT (2008) Deep levels of processing elicit a distinctiveness heuristic: evidence from the criterial recollection task. J Mem Lang 58:1095–1111. doi:10.1016/j.jml.2007.12.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghetti S (2003) Memory for nonoccurrences: the role of metacognition. J Mem Lang 48:722–739. doi:10.1016/S0749-596X(03)00005-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghetti S, Qin J, Goodman GS (2002) False memories in children and adults: age, distinctiveness, and subjective experience. Dev Psychol 38(5):705–718. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.38.5.705

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton RJ (1985) A framework for the evaluation of the effectiveness of adjunct questions and objectives. Rev Educ Res 55:47–85

    Google Scholar 

  • Haring MJ, Fry MA (1979) Effect of pictures on children’s comprehension of written text. Educ Commun Technol 27:185–190

    Google Scholar 

  • Hege ACG, Dodson CS (2004) Why distinctive information reduces false memories: evidence for both impoverished relational-encoding and distinctiveness heuristic accounts. J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn 4:787–795. doi:10.1037/0278-7393.30.4.787

    Google Scholar 

  • Israel L, Schacter DL (1997) Pictorial encoding reduces false recognition of semantic associates. Psychon Bull Rev 4:577–581

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacoby LL, Craik FIM, Begg I (1979) Effects of decision difficulty on recognition and recall. J Verbal Learn Verbal Behav 18:585–600. doi:10.1016/S0022-5371(79)90324-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnston WA, Uhl CN (1976) The contributions of encoding effort and variability to the spacing effect on free recall. J Exp Psychol [Hum Learn] 2:153–160. doi:10.1037/0278-7393.2.2.153

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levie HW, Lentz R (1982) Effects of text illustrations: a review of research. Educ Commun Technol J 30:195–232

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayer RE (1997) Multimedia learning: are we asking the right questions? Educ Psychol 32:1–19. doi:10.1207/s15326985ep3201_1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayer RE, Gallini JK (1990) When is an illustration worth ten thousand words? J Educ Psychol 82:715–726. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.82.4.715

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pavio A (1986) Mental representations: a dual coding approach. Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Roediger HLIII, Karpicke JD (2006) The power of testing memory: basic research and implications for educational practice. Perspect Psychol Sci 1:181–210. doi:10.1111/j.1745-6916.2006.00012.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roediger HLIII, McDermott KB (1995) Creating false memories: remembering words not presented in lists. J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn 21:803–814. doi:10.1037/0278-7393.21.4.803

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roediger HLIII, McDermott KB, Robinson KJ (1998) The role of associative processes in creating false memories. In: Conway MA, Gathercole SE, Cornoldi C (eds) Theories of memory, vol II. Psychology Press, London, pp 187–245

    Google Scholar 

  • Roediger HLIII, Balota DA, Watson JM (2001) Spreading activation and the arousal of false memories. In: Roediger III HL, Nairne JS, Neath I, Surprenant AM (eds) The nature of remembering: essays in honor of Robert G. Crowder. American Psychological Association, Washington, pp 95–115

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Schacter DL (1996) Searching for memory. Basic Books, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Schacter DL (1999) The seven sins of memory: insights from psychology and cognitive neuroscience. Am Psychol 54:182–203. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.54.3.182

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schnotz W (2002) Commentary: towards an integrated view of learning from text and visual displays. Educ Psychol Rev 14:101–120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shipley WC (1940) A self-administering scale for measuring intellectual impairment and deterioration. J Psychol 9:371–377

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith RE, Hunt R (1998) Presentation modality affects false memory. Psychon Bull Rev 5:710–715

    Google Scholar 

  • Stadler MA, Roediger HL, McDermott KB (1999) Norms for word lists that create false memories. Mem Cognit 27:494–500

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tyler SW, Hertel PT, McCallum MC, Ellis HC (1979) Cognitive effort and memory. J Exp Psychol [Hum Learn] 5:607–617. doi:10.1037/0278-7393.5.6.607

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waddill PJ, McDaniel MA (1992) Pictorial enhancement of text memory: limitations imposed by picture type and comprehension skill. Mem Cognit 20:472–482

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wickelgren WA (1970) Multitrace strength theory. In: Norman DA (ed) Models of human memory. Academic Press, New York, pp 65–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Willows DM, Houghton HA (1987) The psychology of illustration, vol 1. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the students who participated in this study and to Leang Suong for her contribution in setting up the pilot study that preceded this experiment.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Behavioral Sciences, New Mexico Highlands University, PO Box 9000, Las Vegas, NM, 87701, USA

    Maura Pilotti

  2. Hunter College, New York, NY, USA

    Martin Chodorow

  3. Dowling College, Long Island, NY, USA

    Tammi Leonardo

Authors
  1. Maura Pilotti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Martin Chodorow
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tammi Leonardo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maura Pilotti.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pilotti, M., Chodorow, M. & Leonardo, T. Study effort versus distinctiveness in the recollection of veridical and illusory memories. Cogn Process 10, 163–173 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-008-0241-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-008-0241-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation