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Exploring the boundaries of memory distrust from repeated checking: increasing external validity and examining

Meredith E Coles1, Adam S Radomsky, Betty Horng

  • 1Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, SUNY, NY 13902-6000, USA. mcoles@binghamton.edu

Behaviour Research and Therapy
|September 22, 2005
PubMed
Summary

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Repeatedly checking a stove erodes memory confidence and detail, even with few repetitions. This study reveals how checking behaviors in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can undermine memory, impacting metamemory.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Checking behaviors are common compulsions in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
  • Previous research indicates that repeated checking diminishes memory confidence, supporting theoretical models of compulsion maintenance.
  • Understanding the impact of checking on memory is crucial for OCD treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the extent of memory distrust caused by repeated checking.
  • To explore how checking behaviors affect metamemory (memory about memory).
  • To examine the boundaries of memory distrust in the context of checking.

Main Methods:

  • Two studies were conducted to explore memory distrust from repeated checking.
  • Study 1 involved participants repeatedly checking a real stove, assessing metamemory and memory accuracy.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Study 2 examined the effects of a low number of checks on a single occasion.

    • Main Results:

    • Repeated stove checking decreased memory confidence, vividness, and detail (metamemory).
    • Participants relied more on the feeling of 'knowing' rather than accurate memory recall.
    • Memory accuracy was not significantly altered by the checking behavior.
    • Metamemory changes were observed even after a small number of checks on one occasion.

    Conclusions:

    • Repeated checking, even minimally, can lead to significant distrust in one's own memory.
    • Findings support theoretical models explaining the maintenance of checking compulsions in OCD.
    • Further research is needed to delineate the precise boundaries and implications of checking-induced memory distrust.