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Recollections of faces: remembering differences and knowing similarities
1Department of Psychology, University of Umeå, Sweden. timo.mantyla@psy.umu.se
Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, and Cognition
|September 18, 1997
Summary
Distinctive processing of faces enhances recollection, while relational processing boosts familiarity. This research supports a dual-component model of recognition memory, differentiating between "remembering" and "knowing" experiences.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience of Memory
- Human Memory Research
Background:
- Recollective experience in memory recognition is complex.
- Understanding the distinction between remembering and knowing is crucial for memory research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the components of recollective experience.
- To examine how encoding strategies (relational vs. distinctive processing) influence recognition judgments.
- To differentiate between explicit recollection (remembering) and familiarity assessment (knowing).
Main Methods:
- Four experiments were conducted.
- Participants studied faces, focusing on either similarities (relational) or differences (distinctive).
- Recognition judgments were categorized as "remember" (explicit recollection) or "know" (familiarity).
Main Results:
- Encoding type interacted with recollective experience judgments.
- "Remember" responses were higher after distinctive encoding; "know" responses were higher after relational encoding.
- Recognition of changed faces relied on familiarity, not recollection.
Conclusions:
- Findings support the dual-component theory of recognition memory.
- Results challenge the notion that "remembering" vs. "knowing" solely reflects perceptual or conceptual processing differences.