Intentional Memory Instructions Direct Attention But Do Not Enhance Visual Memory

D. Alexander Varakin and Jamie Hale

SAGE Open, 2014, vol. 4, issue 4, 2158244014553588

Abstract: The current experiment investigated the role of intentional-encoding instructions and task relevance at study on visual memory performance. Task relevance was manipulated by having participants keep a running tally of either the to-be-remembered objects or an irrelevant category of objects during study. Half of the participants within each level of task relevance were further instructed to remember one category of objects for a subsequent recognition test, and the other half of the participants were not informed of a memory test. Intentional-encoding instructions improved recognition discrimination only when participants were not already keeping a tally of the to-be-remembered objects. This result suggests that intentional-encoding instructions may improve visual memory via generic attentional modulation, not encoding-specific processes.

Keywords: visual memory; encoding; attention; recognition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:sagope:v:4:y:2014:i:4:p:2158244014553588

DOI: 10.1177/2158244014553588

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