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Can survival processing enhance story memory? Testing the generalizability of the adaptive memory framework
John G Seamon1, Justin M Bohn, Inslee E Coddington
1Department of Psychology, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459, USA. jseamon@wesleyan.edu
Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, and Cognition
|February 1, 2012
Summary
Thinking about word survival value improves memory recall. This survival processing advantage enhances recall for discrete words but not for story content, suggesting context-dependent memory benefits.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Evolutionary Psychology
Background:
- The adaptive memory framework suggests survival processing enhances recall.
- Previous research indicates survival encoding improves memory for discrete words.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of survival processing on memory recall.
- To determine if survival processing benefits extend to narrative memory.
- To compare survival processing with intentional learning and other semantic strategies.
Main Methods:
- Participants used incidental survival encoding for word lists and stories.
- Memory recall was tested using free and cued recall measures.
- Survival processing was compared against intentional learning and neutral story contexts.
Main Results:
- Incidental survival encoding significantly enhanced free recall of discrete words compared to intentional learning.
- Survival processing did not improve memory for factual story content.
- Intentional learning and incidental story comprehension yielded similar memory performance for narrative content.
Conclusions:
- Survival processing is effective for enhancing recall of discrete stimuli in fitness-relevant scenarios.
- The survival processing advantage does not generalize to memory for narrative content.
- Further research is needed to clarify the general applicability of survival processing in memory.
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