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Incidental self-reference effects in memory

Sheila J. Cunningham University of Abertay Dundee, Scotland. Incidental self-reference effects in memory. What is the self-reference effect?. Information encoded about yourself is more memorable than information about other people = ‘self-reference effect’ (SRE). Trait evaluation paradigm.

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Incidental self-reference effects in memory

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  1. Sheila J. Cunningham University of Abertay Dundee, Scotland Incidental self-reference effects in memory

  2. What is the self-reference effect? Information encoded about yourself is more memorable than information about other people = ‘self-reference effect’ (SRE)

  3. Trait evaluation paradigm Self evaluation v. evaluation of other referent: Traits encoded about self tend to be better remembered. (see Symons & Johnston, 1997) ‘Are you creative?’ v. ‘Is Brad Pitt modest?’

  4. Paradigm-driven? • Explanation: Self-knowledge > other-knowledge (e.g., Klein & Loftus, 1986, Symons & Johnson, 1997) • Paradigm requires application of this knowledge • Can a self-reference effect be elicited if self-evaluation is not required at encoding?

  5. Exp. 1: Incidental SREs • Tested 48 female participants (18-25 years). • Between-subjects design: p’s completed one of two encoding tasks: • Evaluative self-reference (standard SRE task) • ‘Incidental’ self-reference (self-cue not task-relevant) • Followed by surprise recognition memory task.

  6. Evaluative: does this word describe you? Incidental: does this word appear above the face? Exp. 1: Encoding task Calm Friendly

  7. Evaluative: does this word describe Angelina? Incidental: does this word appear above the face? Exp. 1: Encoding task Tidy Modest

  8. Results: trait memory Referent F(1,44) = 38.9, p <.001 Task F(1,44) = 101.2, p <.001 (Turk, Cunningham & Macrae, 2008) RxT F(1,44) = 4.1, p <.05

  9. ? Exp. 1: Discussion • Clearly shows an incidental SRE • Driven by attention by self-relevant stimuli? (Turk et al., in press a,b; Van den Bos et al., under review)

  10. SRE development • Previous work suggests SRE develops in late childhood – in line with abstract constructs. • Little evidence of early SREs because: • Abstract encoding task? • Evaluation? • Immature self-system? • Exp. 2: Tested 111 four- to six-year-old children on CONCRETE version of tasks.

  11. Exp. 2: Evaluative task

  12. Exp. 2: Incidental task

  13. Results: trait memory Referent F(1,109) = 20.50, p <.001 Task F(1,109) = 17.47, p <.001 (Cunningham et al., in prep.) RxT F(1,109) = 0.05, NS

  14. Exp. 2: Discussion • A self-reference effect can be found in early childhood – Evaluative AND Incidental. • Evaluation does not provide additional self-referential memory advantage in young children.

  15. Associating stimuli with the self leads to a memory advantage – no matter how incidental the link. The incidental SRE is robust in early childhood. Only in our adult sample did evaluation provide an additional self-referential advantage. Need to explore the mechanisms that drive the incidental SRE. Conclusions

  16. Collaborators: David J. Turk C. Neil Macrae (University of Aberdeen) s.cunningham@abertay.ac.uk

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