incidental self-reference effects in memory sheila j. cunningham university of abertay dundee,...
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Incidental self-reference effects in memory
Sheila J. CunninghamUniversity of Abertay Dundee, Scotland
What is the self-reference effect?
Information encoded about yourself is more memorable than information about other people = ‘self-reference effect’ (SRE)
Trait evaluation paradigm
‘Are you creative?’
‘Is Brad Pitt modest?’
v.
Self evaluation v. evaluation of other referent:
Traits encoded about self tend to be better remembered.(see Symons & Johnston, 1997)
Paradigm-driven?• Explanation: Self-knowledge > other-knowledge
(e.g., Klein & Loftus, 1986, Symons & Johnson, 1997)
• Paradigm requires application of this knowledge
• Can a self-reference effect be elicited if self-evaluation is not required at encoding?
Exp. 1: Incidental SREs
• Tested 48 female participants (18-25 years).
• Between-subjects design: p’s completed one of two encoding tasks:
– Evaluative self-reference (standard SRE task)
– ‘Incidental’ self-reference (self-cue not task-relevant)
• Followed by surprise recognition memory task.
Evaluative: does this word describe you?Incidental: does this word appear above the face?
Calm
Exp. 1: Encoding task
Friendly
Evaluative: does this word describe Angelina?Incidental: does this word appear above the face?
Modest
Exp. 1: Encoding task
Tidy
Results: trait memory
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Evaluation Incidental
Reco
gniti
on a
ccur
acy
SelfOther
Referent F(1,44) = 38.9, p <.001 Task F(1,44) = 101.2, p <.001
(Turk, Cunningham & Macrae, 2008) RxT F(1,44) = 4.1, p <.05
Exp. 1: Discussion
• Clearly shows an incidental SRE• Driven by attention by self-relevant stimuli?
(Turk et al., in press a,b; Van den Bos et al., under review)
SRE development
• Previous work suggests SRE develops in late childhood – in line with abstract constructs.
• Little evidence of early SREs because:– Abstract encoding task?– Evaluation?– Immature self-system?
• Exp. 2: Tested 111 four- to six-year-old children on CONCRETE version of tasks.
Exp. 2: Evaluative task
Exp. 2: Incidental task
Results: trait memory
00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.9
Evaluation Incidental
Reco
gniti
on a
ccur
acy
SelfOther
Referent F(1,109) = 20.50, p <.001 Task F(1,109) = 17.47, p <.001
(Cunningham et al., in prep.) RxT F(1,109) = 0.05, NS
Exp. 2: Discussion
• A self-reference effect can be found in early childhood – Evaluative AND Incidental.
• Evaluation does not provide additional self-referential memory advantage in young children.
• Associating stimuli with the self leads to a memory advantage – no matter how incidental the link.
• The incidental SRE is robust in early childhood.
• Only in our adult sample did evaluation provide an additional self-referential advantage.
• Need to explore the mechanisms that drive the incidental SRE.
Conclusions
Collaborators:
David J. Turk C. Neil Macrae
(University of Aberdeen)