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Memory for perceived and imagined pictures--an event-related potential study
Mikael Johansson1, G Stenberg, M Lindgren
1Department of Psychology, Lund University, P.O. Box 213, SE-22100 Lund, Sweden. mikael.johansson@psychology.lu.se
Neuropsychologia
|March 20, 2002
Summary
This study used event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine memory for perceived and imagined pictures. ERPs showed that memory retrieval for imagined items was faster and stronger than for perceived items.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Psychology
Background:
- Recognition memory and source monitoring are crucial cognitive functions.
- Understanding the neural basis of memory retrieval for perceived versus imagined items is important.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate recognition memory and source-monitoring judgments for perceived and imagined pictures using event-related potentials (ERPs).
- To compare the neural correlates and behavioral performance between memory for perceived and imagined items.
Main Methods:
- Participants studied word labels, followed by either a picture or an empty frame to visualize an image.
- Tested using source-monitoring and old/new recognition tasks.
- Measured behavioral responses (reaction times) and electroencephalography (EEG) to record ERPs.
Main Results:
- Correctly identified old items (perceived and imagined) elicited more positive ERPs than new items.
- The ERP old/new effect was faster and larger for imagined items compared to perceived items.
- Task type influenced prefrontal ERPs and reaction times, suggesting different memory retrieval processes.
Conclusions:
- Accurate source memory requires more or different information than recognition memory.
- Different types of source-specifying information are retrieved at varying rates.
- The late ERP old/new effect reflects the quality and quantity of retrieved memory information.