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When we must forget: the effect of cognitive load on prospective memory commission errors
Patrícia Matos1, Flávia H Santos2, Pedro B Albuquerque1
1School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
Memory (Hove, England)
|February 12, 2020
Summary
Prospective memory (PM) errors increase with moderate cognitive load, suggesting spontaneous retrieval of non-performed intentions. High load did not further elevate these memory failures.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience of Memory
Background:
- Prospective memory (PM) intentions may persist after completion, leading to errors.
- Mechanisms behind PM commission errors, like spontaneous retrieval, are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how ongoing task demands influence the deactivation of completed PM intentions.
- To explore the role of cognitive load in PM commission errors.
Main Methods:
- Participants performed a PM task, were informed it was complete, then engaged in a lexical decision task with PM cues.
- A concurrent counting recall task manipulated cognitive load (none, moderate, high).
- PM commission errors and ongoing task performance were measured.
Main Results:
- PM commission error risk was significantly higher under moderate cognitive load (74%) compared to no load (40%).
- Error risk did not further increase under high cognitive load (54%) compared to moderate load.
- Ongoing task performance suggested spontaneous PM retrieval contributes to commission errors.
Conclusions:
- Moderate cognitive load impairs the deactivation of completed PM intentions, increasing commission errors.
- Findings support a dual-mechanisms account where spontaneous retrieval plays a role in PM failures.
- Cognitive load management is crucial for preventing prospective memory errors.
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