Steyvers & Hemmer (2012): Reconstruction from memory in naturalistic environments
Description
A level Psychology (2 Cognitive) Mind Map on Steyvers & Hemmer (2012): Reconstruction from memory in naturalistic environments, created by Ella Middlemiss on 01/10/2017.
Steyvers & Hemmer
(2012): Reconstruction
from memory in
naturalistic environments
Aim
To investigate the
interaction between
episodic and prior
knowledge in
naturalistic
environments
They wanted to see how
prior knowledge was used
to reconstruct memory for
photographs of normal
everyday settings e.g. hotel
Procedure
Ppts recruited
using a random
sample from an
experimental
ppt pool at the
University of
California, Irvine
Main Experiment
Using the same
experimental pool, 49
ppts who didn't do
prior testing were
selected
10 stimulus pics from
prior testing were chosen
2 from each scene that
had elicited the most
objects named in the
perception test
From these 2
sets of 5 images,
2 from each
scene were
formed
Ppts only viewed 1
image of each scene
to avoid carry-over
effects
Ppts shown the 5 images for
either 2 (prior knowledge) or
10 (episodic) seconds, to
control for exposure duration.
4 possible time trial
orderings and ppts
were randomly
allocated to one
Free recall
in their
own time
Correct recall of
inconsistent
objects only come
from episodic
memory
Recall of
objects
missing =
semantic
2 seconds =
relies on prior
knowledge
10 seconds =
relies on episodic
memory
Findings
The effect of
prior knowledge
(semantic)
Compared number of
objects guessed in
expectations test to
those actually recalled
in 2 experimental
conditions (2 and 10
seconds)
Accuracy of object
guesses based on
the expectation test
was over 55% from
semantic memory
The actual recall in
both experimental
conditions was over
80%
In the 2 second
condition, 7 objects
were recalled on
average
In the 10 second
condition, 9 objects
were recalled on
average
Suggests episodic memory
played a significant role in recall
Incorrect recall of
high frequency
objects was 9%
Suggests that with
naturalistic/ unmanipulated
scenes, memory is accurate
In unnatural scenes,
the error rate
increased to 19%
Incorrect recall of
low frequency
objects was 18%
Conclusions
In recall of naturalistic
scenes, prior knowledge
drawn from semantic
memory can contribute to
accurate recall in episodic
memory tasks, when such
scenes are unmanipulated
We draw on general
knowledge as good
guesses of what is
expected to be seen
Prior knowledge
contributes greatly
to the recall of
naturalistic
environments but
not at the expense
of accuracy
We're more
likely to notice
novel items
Prior knowledge tends to
be unrepresentative of
everyday event recall;
removing high frequency
objects induces false
memory - makes memory
seem unreliable
With naturalistic,
unmanipulated context,
guesses can be effective
due to the high frequency
objects present
This frees up
cognitive resources
to be better spent
focusing on novel
and unexpected
objects in a scene
Recall of consistent and
inconsistent objects is benefited
using a more ecologically valid
approach