Generation and context memory.

Full Abstract

Generation enhances memory for occurrence but may not enhance other aspects of memory. The present study further delineates the negative generation effect in context memory reported in N. W. Mulligan (2004). First, the negative generation effect occurred for perceptual attributes of the target item (its color and font) but not for extratarget aspects of context (location and background color). Second, nonvisual generation tasks with either semantic or nonsemantic generation rules (antonym and rhyme generation, respectively) produced the same pattern of results. In contrast, a visual (or data-driven) generation task (letter transposition) did not disrupt context memory for color. Third, generating nonwords produced no effect on item memory but persisted in producing a negative effect on context memory for target attributes, implying that (a) the negative generation effect in context memory is not mediated by semantic encoding, and (b) the negative effect on context memory can be dissociated from the positive effect on item memory. The results are interpreted in terms of the processing account of generation. The original, perceptual-conceptual version of this account is too narrow, but a modified processing account, based on a more generic visual versus nonvisual processing distinction, accommodates the results.Copyright 2006 APA, all rights reserved.

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Author information

Author/s: Mulligan, Neil W (NW); Lozito, Jeffrey P (JP); Rosner, Zachary A (ZA);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270, USA. nmulligan(-atsign-)unc.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comment; Journal Article

Journal: Journal of experimental psychology. Learning, memory, and cognition (J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Jul; vol 32 (issue 4) : pp 836-46

Dates: Created 2006/07/06; Completed 2006/12/15;

PMID: 16822151, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

Comments and Corrections

CommentOn: J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2004 Jul;30(4):838-55. (PMID: 15238028)

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