Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 16, 2026
08:12
A Psychophysics Paradigm for the Collection and Analysis of Similarity Judgments
Published on: March 1, 2022
3.0K
Within-person adaptivity in frugal judgments from memory
Elisa Filevich1,2,3,4, Sebastian S Horn5,6, Simone Kühn7
1Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195, Berlin, Germany. filevich@mpib-berlin.mpg.de.
Psychological Research
|December 24, 2017
Summary
People adapt their use of the recognition heuristic (RH) between different domains. This decision-making strategy adjusts based on general domain knowledge, not specific cue validities.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Decision Science
- Behavioral Economics
Background:
- Recognition memory serves as a cue for judgment, with its utility depending on environmental predictive power (validity).
- Previous research has not explored strategic, intra-individual changes in reliance on recognition across domains with varying validity.
- Understanding sensitivity to recognition validity differences is crucial for decision-making research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate within-person adaptive changes in the use of the recognition heuristic (RH) across two task domains with differing recognition validity.
- To determine if these adaptive changes correlate with individual recognition validities or changes therein.
- To examine metacognitive confidence in relation to domain differences and recognition validity.
Main Methods:
- A study design involving within-person comparisons of recognition heuristic (RH) usage.
- Utilizing two distinct task domains engineered to differ in recognition validity.
- Collecting metacognitive confidence ratings alongside heuristic use data.
Main Results:
- Participants demonstrated adaptive changes in RH reliance between the two task domains.
- These adaptive shifts in RH use were not correlated with individual recognition validities or their fluctuations.
- Metacognitive confidence ratings also covaried with task domain, mirroring RH use patterns, but not individual validities.
Conclusions:
- Findings support a domain-adaptivity explanation for RH use, suggesting broad intuitions about recognition's utility.
- Decision-making appears robust enough for adaptive choices despite not precisely tracking individual cue validities.
- Metacognitive confidence indicates awareness of global domain differences, but not specific cue validities within domains.
Related Concept Videos
01:23System of Memory
7.5K
Memory is categorized into three major systems: sensory memory, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM). These systems differ in their capacity and the duration for which they can hold information. Sensory memory captures raw sensory input from the environment, holding it for just a few seconds or less. For example, on hearing a brief, loud sound, like a car horn honking, the sound seems to linger in the mind for a moment even after it stops. This is an instance of sensory memory...
7.5K
01:24Working Memory
966
Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this...
966
01:25Personal Identity
479
Personal identity is the deeply felt sense of self that individuals cultivate over time, intricately woven from intrinsic qualities they consider essential to their existence—qualities such as morality, intelligence, and friendliness. These attributes serve as vital internal benchmarks, guiding individuals in evaluating whether their actions resonate with their true selves.When personal identity takes center stage in one's life, individuals often emphasize their distinctiveness,...
479
01:18Long-Term Memory
726
Long-term memory is a relatively permanent type of memory, capable of storing vast amounts of information over extended periods. Its storage capacity is generally considered unlimited.
Long-term memory can be categorized into two primary types: explicit and implicit memory. Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, involves the conscious recollection of information that we deliberately try to remember, recall, and articulate. This type of memory encompasses specific facts, events, and...
Long-term memory can be categorized into two primary types: explicit and implicit memory. Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, involves the conscious recollection of information that we deliberately try to remember, recall, and articulate. This type of memory encompasses specific facts, events, and...
726
01:20Traumatic Memory
608
Emotionally traumatic events often lead to memories that are exceptionally vivid and enduring, sometimes persisting with remarkable clarity throughout an individual's life. A classic example of this phenomenon is a person who survives a car accident. Even years later, they may recall every detail of the event with startling accuracy — the screeching of the tires, the jarring impact, and the acrid smell of burning rubber. Such vividness contrasts sharply with how an individual...
608
01:16Repressed Memory
537
Repressed memories are a psychological phenomenon where memories of traumatic events are unconsciously blocked from a person's awareness. This process occurs as a defense mechanism, protecting the mind from the emotional impact of distressing or painful experiences. For example, a person who has experienced childhood trauma may grow up with no conscious recollection of the event. In such cases, the memories are thought to be buried deep within the subconscious, inaccessible to the conscious...
537