Repetition Errors in Habitual Prospective Memory: Elimination of Age Differences via Complex Actions or Appropriate Resource Allocation

ABSTRACT

A challenge in habitual prospective memory tasks (e.g., taking medication) is remembering whether or not one has already performed the action. Einstein, McDaniel, Smith, and Shaw (1998 Einstein, G. O., McDaniel, M. A., Smith, R. E. and Shaw, P. 1998. Habitual prospective memory and aging: Remembering intentions and forgetting actions. Psychological Science, 9: 284–288. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], Psychological Science, 9, 284) showed that older adults were more likely to incorrectly repeat an action on habitual prospective memory tasks. Extending this research, we (a) biased participants either toward repetition or omission errors, (b) investigated whether performing a more complicated motor action can reduce repetition errors for older adults, and (c) examined participants' resource allocation to the prospective memory task. Older adults committed more repetition errors than younger adults regardless of biasing instructions when ongoing task demands were challenging (Experiment 1). Performing the more complex motor action, however, reduced repetition errors for older adults. Further, when the ongoing task was less demanding, older adults' repetition errors declined to levels of younger adults (Experiment 2). Consistent with this finding, the resource allocation profiles suggested that older participants were monitoring their output (prospective memory execution) in each trial block.     

Event-Based Prospective Memory in Children with Sickle Cell Disease: Effect of Cue Distinctiveness

Event-based prospective memory (EB-PM) is the formation of an intention and remembering to perform it in response to a specific event. Currently, EB-PM performance in children with sickle cell disease (SCD) is unknown. In this study, we designed a computer-based task of EB-PM; No-Stroke, Silent-Infarct, and Overt-Stroke groups performed significantly below the demographically similar control group without SCD. Cue distinctiveness was varied to determine if EB-PM could be improved. All groups, with the exception of the Overt-Stroke group, performed significantly better with a perceptually distinctive cue. Overall, these results suggest that EB-PM can be improved significantly in many children with SCD.     

Perceived control and long-term changes in disability in late middle-aged and older persons: An eight-year follow-up study

This article examined the predictive role of perceived control in long-term changes in disability among 1541 independently living older persons. Disability referred to self-reported difficulties with (instrumental) activities of daily living. Perceived control referred to the extent to which one assumes oneself as having control over one's life chances, unlike the fatalistic assumption that one's life is ruled by external factors. Data on disability and perceived control were collected in 1993 and recollected in 2001. Covariates included age, gender, living arrangement, level of education, and the number of chronic medical conditions. Regression equations were estimated with disability in 2001 as outcome and the selected variables as predictors. The level of perceived control decreased and the level of disability increased significantly over an 8-year period. The predictive role of perceived control for subsequent change in disability was statistically significant but not very strong. The association between perceived control in 1993 and disability in 2001 was stronger for older persons (>65 years) compared to younger persons (≤65 years).     

The interactive category schema of candidate competence: an Australian experience

The Education Committee of the Australian Psychoanalytic Society, inspired by David Tuckett's research, relating to the measurement of candidate competence, conducted a similar study that, they believe, added value to his earlier work. The indicators of analytic competence were more numerous and specific, and greater emphasis was placed on how these criteria could further be operationalized. Besides being used in the measuring of candidate competence, the author makes a case for how the criteria can be adapted for use in the selection of prospective trainees; the defining of teaching and supervisory objectives and processes; and as a basis for further research. The close resonance that the qualitative research method used has with analytic thought and practice is highlighted. It is proposed that this synchrony reduces the resistance that analysts often have in participating in such research. There were definite advantages that arose out of the Australian project aside from producing a society-specific schema of candidate capacities. The research process opened up a space for dialogue, debate and experimentation that increased group cohesion and society identity. Including the candidates in the survey facilitated the increase of transparency between candidates and members, contributing to the strengthening of the educational alliance.     

Transition to young adulthood: A prospective study

In this paper, the authors report on the transition to young adulthood (18-25) in the highest functioning 18 individuals in our cohort (GAF 90) from a prospective longitudinal study of 76 lives followed from birth. These 18 individuals provide as clear a view as possible into the inner lives of people least distorted by psychopathology. This gives us a more crystalline photograph of psychic structure: the precipitant of family, society and psyche itself. Using a standard DSM IV criterion, Global Assessment Functioning (GAF), provides phenomenological homogeneity, but leaves us with heterogeneity of inner life. The 18 individuals had relatively rare drug or alcohol use and less sexual partners. Vocational functioning exceeded intimacy. Four had tumultuous pathways into adulthood. Nine were crossover cases, coming from sub-optimal mothering, with significant variation in gender distribution and intrapsychic structure. The paper discusses factors facilitating and inhibiting development and the nature of memories.     

前瞻记忆的理论模型综述

前瞻记忆是相对于回溯记忆提出的一种特殊的长时记忆,是指记住在将来某个恰当的时间执行先前意向的行为。本文介绍了近年来研究者提出的前瞻记忆认知和提取机制的理论模型,并对其做了评述。最后,本文针对目前研究中的薄弱环节尝试性地提出了今后前瞻记忆研究进一步发展的方向。     

前瞻记忆的年龄效应

不同年龄被试前瞻记忆的特点是前瞻记忆领域研究的热点之一。研究者们运用不同的研究范式和不同的实验条件对这一问题进行了深入探讨,并提出了解释年龄效应的理论观点。这一领域的研究应朝向更具生态效度、实验条件更加标准化的方向进行。     

任务重要性对前瞻记忆的迁移恰当加工效应的影响

为考察任务重要性对前瞻记忆迁移恰当加工（Transfer-appropriate Processing,以下简称TAP）效应的影响,随机选取在校大学生48名,采用基于双重任务的实验研究范式,探究了任务重要性对前瞻记忆TAP效应的影响。研究结果表明：任务的重要性对前瞻记忆TAP效应有显著的影响。当进行中任务较重要时,TAP效应存在;而当前瞻记忆任务较重要时,TAP效应没有出现     

Relations between emotion,memory encoding,and time perception

This study examined duration judgments for taboo and neutral words in prospective and retrospective timing tasks. In the prospective task, participants attended to time from the beginning and generated shorter duration estimates for taboo than neutral words and for words that they subsequently recalled in a surprise free recall task. These findings suggested that memory encoding took priority over estimating durations, directing attention away from time and causing better recall but shorter perceived durations for taboo than neutral words. However, in the retrospective task, participants only judged durations in a surprise test at the end, and their duration estimates were longer for taboo than neutral words. Present findings therefore suggest that the same emotion-linked memory encoding processes can cause underestimation of durations in prospective tasks but overestimation in retrospective tasks, as if emotion enhances recall of ongoing events but causes overestimation of the durations of those events in retrospect.