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Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment
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Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment

Published on: September 20, 2020

Working memory load eliminates the survival processing effect.

Meike Kroneisen1, Jan Rummel, Edgar Erdfelder

  • 1a Department of Psychology , University of Mannheim , Mannheim , Germany.

Memory (Hove, England)
|July 27, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The survival processing effect, where survival-related words are better remembered, disappears under cognitive load. This suggests survival memory benefits rely on attention-demanding encoding processes.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Evolutionary Psychology
  • Memory Research

Background:

  • The survival processing effect shows enhanced memory for survival-relevant information.
  • This effect was initially attributed to evolved memory systems tuned for fitness-relevant data.
  • An alternative hypothesis suggests encoding depth and distinctiveness, not survival relevance itself, drive the effect.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of cognitive load in the survival processing effect.
  • To test whether survival processing is automatic or relies on controlled cognitive resources.
  • To differentiate between automatic survival prioritization and effortful encoding explanations.

Main Methods:

  • Participants rated words for relevance to survival or non-survival scenarios.
  • Cognitive load was manipulated using a dual-task paradigm during encoding.
  • Free recall performance was measured under both single-task and dual-task conditions.

Main Results:

  • The survival processing effect was observed under normal cognitive load conditions.
  • Under high cognitive load (dual-task), the survival processing effect significantly diminished.
  • This indicates that survival processing benefits are not automatic and require attentional resources.

Conclusions:

  • The survival processing effect is not solely due to automatic processes or evolved prioritization.
  • The findings support the hypothesis that survival benefits stem from deeper, more distinctive encoding.
  • Cognitive load interferes with these effortful encoding processes, eliminating the survival advantage.