Feature binding in perceptual priming and in episodic object recognition: evidence from event-related brain potentials

Color and context: An ERP study on intrinsic and extrinsic feature binding in episodic memory

“…Given that slight nonsemantic manipulations have been found to affect only the parietal but not the early mid-frontal old-new effect (Curran, 2000;Curran & Cleary, 2003), a semantic-matching account of familiarity seems straightforward at first. Our results indicate, however, that perceptual manipulations can indeed affect familiarity and the FN400 effect, depending on the characteristics of the task-for example, the stimulus material used (Groh-Bordin et al, 2005; see also Curran & Dien, 2003;Curran, Tanaka, & Weiskopf, 2002;Friedman et al, 2005). We thus agree with the recent notion of Curran, Tepe, and Piatt (2006) that familiarity can be sensitive to both perceptual and conceptual dimensions of similarity.…”

“…However, if the mismatch is substantial and memory access relies on a considerable degree of perceptual processing, familiarity is not purely semantic, but also perceptually specific. Also, note that the effect of a purely perceptual manipulation speaks against the view of the FN400 effect as an index of conceptual priming, as has been proposed by Paller (Voss & Paller, 2006;Yovel & Paller, 2004; see also Curran et al, 2002;Groh-Bordin et al, 2006;Groh-Bordin et al, 2005).…”

“…The effect of this perceptual manipulation on the parietal ERP old-new effect in the color group is also in accordance with previous research (Curran, 2000;Curran & Cleary, 2003;Ranganath & Paller, 1999) and is comprehensible in light of the integrative, intentional study (cf. Groh-Bordin et al, 2005, who found no congruency effect on the LPC following incidental study). For instance, associative study instructions will occasionally lead subjects to generate verbal predicates concerning the feature (e.g., "that's a funny color"), which can then potentially be recollected.…”

“…In contrast, Groh-Bordin, Zimmer, and Mecklinger (2005), who also manipulated the orientation of picture stimuli, found RT congruency effects accompanied by a selective ERP congruency effect on the FN400 in a pure old-new task with no feature relevance (following incidental study). Employing a procedure similar to the one here, Groh-Bordin, Zimmer, and Ecker (2006) reported RT congruency effects when the color of objects was manipulated in an inclusion task with subsequent feature decision.…”

Neural correlates of familiarity and conceptual fluency in a recognition test with ancient pictographic characters

“…Conceptual fluency may have occurred during memory testing because the concepts activated by the materials were repeated. In addition, manipulations such as perceptual change and depth of encoding likely exert the same influence on familiarity and conceptual priming (Groh-Bordin et al, 2005;Paller and Kutas, 1992;Rugg et al, 2000).…”