Brief wakeful resting can eliminate directed forgetting.
Andreas Schlichting1, Karl-Heinz T Bäuml1
1a Department of Experimental Psychology , Regensburg University , Germany.
Memory (Hove, England)
|March 2, 2016
Summary
Directed forgetting, the ability to intentionally forget memories, is impaired by wakeful resting. Engaging in active cognitive tasks after learning, however, preserves directed forgetting abilities.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Memory Research
Background:
- Directed forgetting is a cognitive process where individuals intentionally suppress recall of specific memories.
- The impact of intervening cognitive activities on directed forgetting is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how wakeful resting affects intentional memory forgetting.
- To compare the effects of passive wakeful resting versus active cognitive distraction on directed forgetting.
Main Methods:
- Participants encoded memories, followed by either a passive wakeful resting period (neutral music/pictures) or an active distraction period (counting/calculations).
- Directed forgetting was assessed via a later recall test.
Main Results:
- Typical directed forgetting was observed after active distraction.
- Directed forgetting was significantly reduced or absent following wakeful resting.
Conclusions:
- The cognitive activity immediately following memory encoding influences the effectiveness of intentional forgetting.
- Wakeful resting may interfere with the mechanisms underlying directed forgetting, unlike active cognitive tasks.
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