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The influence of object relative size on priming and explicit memory
Bob Uttl1, Peter Graf, Amy L Siegenthaler
1Red Deer College, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. uttlbob@gmail.com
Plos One
|September 5, 2008
Summary
Object relative size impacts memory. Changes in size between study and test reduced both priming and explicit memory, especially for objects shown in large versus small sizes.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Visual Perception
- Memory Studies
Background:
- Object perception research explores how visual cues influence memory.
- Relative size is a visual property that may affect object recognition and recall.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of object relative size on implicit memory (priming) and explicit memory.
- To determine if appropriate versus inappropriate relative sizes affect memory performance.
Main Methods:
- Participants viewed color photos of object pairs with appropriate or inappropriate relative sizes.
- Implicit memory was measured by the speed of object size ratings.
- Explicit memory was assessed using an old/new recognition test.
Main Results:
- Altering relative size from study to test diminished both priming and explicit memory.
- The effect of size changes was more pronounced for objects presented in large versus small sizes at test.
Conclusions:
- Object relative size significantly influences both priming and explicit memory.
- Findings support instance-based theories of object perception and priming over structural description views.
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