Litmus test of rich episodic representations

Context-induced false recognition

Bibliographic Data

ID21307361
AuthorsÁgnes Szőllősi (Hungarian Research Network, corresponding author), Péter Pajkossy (0000-0002-6879-6784, Hungarian Research Network), Dorottya Bencze (0009-0001-5941-5986, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology), Miklós Marián (Budapest University of Technology and Economics), Mihály Racsmány (0009-0006-6591-7233, Hungarian Research Network)
Year2023
Volume230
Pages105287
Publication date2023-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCognition (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0010-0277 • E-ISSN: 1873-7838
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.cognition.2022.105287
PMID36156388
OpenAlexW4296902859
LanguageEN
References cited52

Context-dependent episodic memory is typically investigated using tasks in which retrieval occurs either in the reinstated context of encoding or in a completely new context. A fundamental question of episodic memory models is the level of detail in episodic memory representations containing contextual information about the encoded event. The present study examined whether memory is affected when the contexts of encoding and retrieval are highly similar but not exactly the same. At encoding, participants saw unique object images presented on the background of unique context scene images. On a surprise recognition test, the objects were either old or visually similar to ones seen at encoding (lure stimuli). The objects were presented on either the old or a lure context image; the lure context image was visually similar to the corresponding object's encoding context. Context reinstatement increased the hit rate for the old objects, but also increased the false alarm for the lure objects. This latter finding indicates that the presence of the encoding context at test does not always aid recognition memory decisions. These results suggest that slight visual differences between the contexts of encoding and retrieval matter, as context reinstatement leads to a tendency to respond Old even in case of small differences in the old and lure contexts

Cognition · Cognitive psychology · Context (archaeology) · Context effect · Context-dependent memory · Encoding (memory) · Episodic memory · False Memory · Free recall · Linguistics · Object (grammar) · Recall · Recognition memory · Surprise · Word (group theory) · Artificial Intelligence · Child and Animal Learning Development · Communication · Computer Science · Memory and Neural Mechanisms · Memory Processes and Influences · Neuroscience · Psychology

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