The effects of repetition and dual-task on the output monitoring errors

Abstract

We investigated output-monitoring errors in a modified source-monitoring paradigm. Unlike the traditional paradigm that involves two phases, learning and monitoring, the modified paradigm involves three phases, learning, enactment, and monitoring. Three experiments produced two major findings. First, compared with the traditional paradigm, the modified paradigm produced fewer monitoring errors. Second, performing a dual-task during the enactment phase increased monitoring errors for the items that participants repeatedly enacted during the learning phase. In contrast, performing a dual-task during the learning phase did not influence monitoring errors. It only decreased the number of items that were enacted during the enactment phase. We concluded that monitoring errors are more likely to occur (a) when the modality of items matches between the learning and enactment phases (i.e., items are enacted during both phases), and (b) when a dual-task increases processing demands during the enactment phase.

Output Monitoring Error: Effects of Previously Encoded Action Phrases

“…In this case, output monitoring error occurred when a participant judged an action phrase as "recollected," even though the participant failed to perform the action during the recall test phase. Experiment 1A replicated a test conducted by Sugimori et al (2005), in which attention levels (full vs. divided) were manipulated in the recall test phase to confirm that output monitoring error required both repeated enactment during the learning phase and a divided attention task (counting numerals) during the recall test phase. Experiment 1B manipulated the time interval (immediate vs. 7-day delay) between the recall test and output monitoring test phases to confirm that delayed monitoring also reduces the ability to consciously recollect.…”

“…Applying these findings to the new paradigm of output monitoring, Sugimori et al (2005) found that participants who had performed a divided attention task were unable to recollect having performed the action phrase during the recall test phase. If the findings from the "famous" task are applied to the new paradigm, output monitoring error should also occur if the output monitoring test phase is conducted 7 days after the recall test phase.…”

“…In an investigation of factors related to output monitoring error, Sugimori et al (2005) found that errors increased under conditions of both repeated enacting during the learning phase and numeral counting as a divided attention task during the recall test phase. This combination resulted in participants judging action phrases as "recollected," even if they had failed to perform them during the recall test phase.…”

“…In contrast, Sugimori, Nakanishi, Komeda, Tsunemi, & Kusumi (2005) used action phrases and investigated the effects of previously encoded action phrases on output monitoring error. This experimental paradigm consisted of three phases: learning, recall test, and output monitoring test.…”