Electrophysiological dissociation of retrieval orientation and retrieval effort

Abstract

The neural correlates of retrieval orientation-the differential processing of retrieval cues according to the form of the sought-for information-and retrieval effort were investigated in a factorial design. ERPs elicited by test words were recorded during four recognition memory tests. Orientation was manipulated by varying study material: The study phases preceding two of the tests employed pictures, whereas the study phases preceding the other two tests employed words. Effort was manipulated by varying difficulty, using a combination of the variables of length of study list and study-test interval. ERPs elicited by correctly classified new test words were sensitive to both the study material and, to a much lesserextent, the difficulty of manipulations. Whereas difficulty effects onset early and were shortlived, the effects of study material onset later, extended for several hundred milliseconds, and did not vary according to difficulty. It was concluded that retrieval orientation exerts a major influence on the processing of recognition memory test items.

Strategic influences on recollection in the exclusion task: Electrophysiological evidence

“…First, the failure to recollect nontarget items could have arisen because of cue bias (Anderson & Bjork, 1994). According to this possibility, the subjects adopted a retrieval orientation (Robb & Rugg, 2002;Rugg & Wilding, 2000) that, while optimizing the processing of test items as cues for the recollection of target information, made these items ineffectual as cues for nontarget recollection.…”

The worth of pictures: Using high density event-related potentials to understand the memorial power of pictures and the dynamics of recognition memory

“…More recently, comparing memory for pictures versus words has been used as a tool in memory research. Such studies have helped to better understand aspects of memory including false recognition (Israel & Schacter, 1997), the distinctiveness heuristic (Budson et al, 2005b), and retrieval orientation (Robb & Rugg, 2002). Examining memory for pictures and words has also helped us to better understand memory impaired populations (Budson et al, 2002a;Budson et al, 2005a).…”

Conceptual and perceptual memory: Retrieval orientations reflected in event-related potentials

“…Deep versus shallow processings in the study phase have been found to engender diVerent ERP patterns during retrieval processing (Rugg, Allan, & Birch, 2000). Robb and Rugg (2002) had participants study lists of pictures or words, in diVerent blocks, and used words as recognition cues for both. The processing of new words diVered markedly depending on whether it occurred in the context of studied words or studied pictures.…”