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Primacy of memory linkage in choice among valued objects.
Gregory V Jones1, Maryanne Martin
1Departmnent of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, England. g.v.jones@warwick.ac.uk
Memory & Cognition
|May 11, 2007
Summary
Objects that trigger memories are valued more than those based on appearance or usability. This memory link
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Behavioral Economics
Background:
- Norman (2004) identified three processing levels for objects: appearance, usability, and memory evocation.
- Understanding object valuation is key to analyzing subjective well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how people choose between objects based on appearance, usability, and memory-eliciting capacity.
- To determine the relative importance of memory links in object valuation.
Main Methods:
- Participants chose among valued objects recalled based on Norman's three criteria.
- Experimental design to compare valuation across different object processing levels.
Main Results:
- Objects selected for their memory-eliciting capacity (mnemoactive objects) were consistently valued significantly higher.
- The importance of memory links outweighed financial or social significance.
- This pattern held true across different age groups and genders.
Conclusions:
- Mnemoactive objects hold superior value, influencing economic analysis of well-being.
- Object choice can indirectly control autobiographical memory activation.
- This research offers a novel perspective on memory and subjective value, potentially informing Proustian memory studies.
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