When more is less: doubt, repetition, memory, metamemory, and compulsive checking in OCD

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Memory and metamemory are crucial in understanding obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
• Repetitive checking behaviors are a hallmark of OCD, often linked to doubt and anxiety.
• Previous research explored checking behaviors in nonclinical populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of repeated checking on memory and metamemory in individuals with OCD and nonclinical controls.
• To differentiate the effects of relevant versus irrelevant checking behaviors on memory accuracy and confidence.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments involved participants (OCD patients and nonclinical undergraduates) repeatedly checking a real kitchen stove or faucet in a standardized manner.
• Participants performed either relevant checking (e.g., checking if the stove was off) or irrelevant checking.
• Memory confidence, vividness, detail, and accuracy were assessed post-checking.

Main Results:

• Both clinical (OCD) and nonclinical participants reported significantly reduced memory confidence, vividness, and detail after repeated relevant checking.
• No significant memory changes were observed in participants who performed repeated irrelevant checking.
• The study also explored the effects of repeated checking on memory accuracy.

Conclusions:

• Repeated relevant checking, even in nonclinical individuals, can impair memory confidence and detail, mimicking aspects of OCD.
• These findings support cognitive-behavioral models of OCD, highlighting the role of checking behaviors in memory distortions.
• The study underscores the impact of repetition on memory and metamemory processes in the context of checking behaviors.