Responsible Remembering

Murphy, Dillon H; Castel, Alan D.

doi:10.1027/2151-2604/a000428

Cited by 30 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…In everyday life, we are continuously presented with more information than we can remember and must selectively focus on the most important information with consequences for forgetting to maximize memory utility (e.g., Ariel et al, 2009;Castel et al, 2012;Madan, 2017;McGillivray & Castel, 2011;Murphy & Castel, 2020, 2021a, 2021b, 2022bMurphy et al, 2022). However, most previous work examining how learners use value to guide memory processes has utilized procedures whereby participants are presented with a list of information to remember, are tested on that information, and then are presented with the next list of information followed by another test, with each test only examining memory for the just-studied list of information.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When presented with more information than we can remember, focusing on the most valuable or important information can be crucial in maximizing memory utility and preventing negative consequences for forgetting (e.g., Murphy & Castel, 2020, 2021a, 2021b, 2022b; Murphy et al, 2022). To examine memory for valuable or important information, prior work has presented learners with lists of words paired with point values counting toward their task scores if recalled (e.g., Castel et al, 2002).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Differential effects of proactive and retroactive interference in value-directed remembering for younger and older adults.

Murphy¹,

Castel²

2022

Psychology and Aging

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We are often presented with more information than we can remember, and we must selectively focus on the most valuable information to maximize memory utility. Most tests of value-based memory involve encoding and then being tested on a list of recently studied information. Thus, people are focused on memory for the current list and are encouraged to forget information from earlier lists. However, prior learning can influence later memory, in both interfering and beneficial ways, and there may be age-related differences in how younger and older adults are influenced by the costs and benefits of prior learning and interference. In the present study, we presented younger and older adults with words paired with point values to remember for a later test but rather than asking participants to only recall words from the juststudied list, participants were asked to recall all studied words on each recall test. Results revealed that younger adults were more likely to recall words from previous lists than older adults, indicating that older adults were more susceptible to retroactive interference. Moreover, although selectivity is often preserved in older adults when study-test cycles are independent, a buildup of proactive interference arising from previously studied words reduced memory selectivity in older adults. Thus, when presented with more information than one can remember, younger adults are better at combating interference and recalling valuable information, while older adults may engage in selective forgetting of prior lists to enhance a "present-focused" form of memory, possibly as a result of impaired inhibitory control. Public Significance StatementWhen presented with more information than one can remember, younger adults are better at combating interference and recalling valuable information, while older adults may engage in selective forgetting of previously learned information to enhance a "present-focused" form of memory.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Differential effects of proactive and retroactive interference in value-directed remembering for younger and older adults.

Murphy¹,

Castel²

2022

Psychology and Aging

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“…Taken together, the present studies suggest that both younger and older adults engage in responsible remembering (Murphy & Castel, 2020, 2021a, 2021b, 2022a, 2022b but may do so in different ways. Specifically, under some circumstances, older adults may use study strategies such as spending more time studying on later trials to overcome potential associative memory deficits and remember important information.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 51%

“…When presented with more information than we can remember, we need to strategically focus on and remember the most important information with consequences if forgotten, a notion we termed responsible remembering (Murphy & Castel, 2020, 2021a, 2021b, 2022a, 2022b; Murphy et al, 2022). Responsible remembering encompasses enhanced metacognitive processes as well as the strategic allocation of attention toward important information to avoid undesirable outcomes and even tragic consequences such as forgetting about a potentially deadly medication interaction or leaving an infant in the backseat of a hot car (see Castel & Rhodes, 2020).…”

Section: Objective and Subjective Importancementioning

confidence: 99%

Younger and older adults’ strategic use of associative memory and metacognitive control when learning foreign vocabulary words of varying importance.

Murphy¹,

Hargis²,

Castel³

2023

Psychology and Aging

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Older adults often face memory deficits in binding unrelated items. However, in situations such as preparing for foreign travel, a learner may be highly motivated to learn the translations of important words (e.g., “money”). In the present study, younger and older adults studied Swahili–English word pairs and judged the importance of knowing each pair if they were traveling to a foreign country. Generally, we expected older adults to display a memory deficit but for both younger and older adults’ memory to be driven by the subjective importance of the to-be-learned information. Both younger and older adults’ memory was related to their subjective importance ratings, suggesting that both age groups were able to engage in goal-based value-directed remembering. With increased task experience, older adults appeared to utilize a strategic approach in their study of the translations by spending more time studying the items relative to younger adults. Thus, despite associative memory deficits in older age, both younger and older adults can selectively remember subjectively important information such that older adults can effectively remember new vocabulary that is subjectively important and related to their future goals.

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“…Finally, Murphy and Castel (2020) introduce the notion of responsible rememberingthe strategic allocation of attention toward important information. They propose that responsible remembering can enhance metamemory in both younger and older people.…”

Section: Emerging Research Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%