Contributions of survey research to the understanding of memory

Abstract

This article reviews the results of survey methodological research that illustrate phenomena of potential interest to investigators of memory, and also reviews psychological research designed to explore some of these phenomena under controlled laboratory conditions. We classify the phenomena reviewed into broad categories of remembering what events occurred, remembering when events occurred, and estimation and reconstruction processes used in reporting recurring events. We delineate the contributions of this research for our understanding of memory phenomena and show where this research has revealed gaps in our existing theories and knowledge. These findings present challenges for future collaboration between cognitive psychologists and survey methodologists.Each year, governments and private organizations conduct many surveys; some collect data from over 50,000 respondents. The results of these surveys play a major role in the development of public policies about the economy, employment practices, health care, and many other issues.Many surveys collect reports of objective events experienced by respondents. For example, the National Health Interview Survey, conducted by the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics asks, 'Since (13 months ago), have you been a patient overnight in a hospital?' Respondents who answer yes to that question are asked how many times they have been hospitalized, for how many nights each time, the dates of each hospitalization, the medical condition(s) involved, and whether any

Memory for medical history: Accuracy of recall

“…It is therefore possible and useful to apply these principles to a practical problem. Conversely, the findings from applied survey-type research can extend, confirm, or challenge current theories about memory structure and function (Jobe, Tourangeau, and Smith, 1993). Medical diagnosis often depends on the patient's ability to recall and report accurately on the incidence, frequency, date, duration, and severity of conditions, symptoms, and injuries, as well as on previous treatments and their outcomes.…”

Relationships between physical activity across lifetime and health outcomes in older adults: Results from the NuAge cohort

“…Even though recall periods are a limitation, habitual PA patterns are more accurately reported 245 than irregular ones (40), allowing us to identify regular behaviours, unlike accelerometers or 246 questionnaires that may capture more punctual behaviors.…”

Hospital Episodes and Physician Visits

“…9,11-18 Because health events requiring hospitalization are generally regarded as the most salient to individuals, and because recall accuracy is known to decay with volume, the least accurate self-reported recall should involve the number of physician visits during the last year, whereas the most accurate should exist for whether any hospital episodes occurred. 11,17 In this article, we use data from a large, nationally representative sample of older adults to achieve 2 goals. First, we evaluate the concordance of hospital and physician utilization data obtained from self-reports and Medicare claims data.…”