Semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming: The role of attention

Semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming (autobiographical priming from general information processing) has been shown to prime involuntary autobiographical memory production in the laboratory and everyday life. This form of priming has been shown to be insensitive to depth of processing, with minimal, shallow processing producing as much priming as deep processing. Semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming has also occurred when prime stimuli were presented below the threshold of consciousness awareness. In this study, we hypothesized that semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming will be unaffected by dividing attention, because this form of priming only requires minimal processing to be expressed. We tested this hypothesis by having a divided-attention group monitor digits for odd number sequences while they simultaneously rated words for their familiarity, followed by an involuntary memory task (the vigilance task). The primed involuntary memory production of this group was then compared to a full-attention group, who had performed word familiarity ratings unimpeded, and a control group. The results showed significant priming for both attention groups, but importantly, the divided-attention group did not differ from the full-attention group. We argue that the results support the idea that semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming only requires minimal processing to be observed, and that autobiographical memory activations in this phenomenon are automatic and unconscious.