Piątkowski, K., von Bastian, C. orcid.org/0000-0002-0667-2460, Zawadzka, K. et al. (1 more author) (2022) Elaboration by superposition: from interference in working memory to encoding in long-term memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 49 (3). pp. 371-388. ISSN 0278-7393
Abstract
Distraction embedded in working memory tasks leads to impaired performance. This impairment is mitigated when targets and distractors that follow them share common features—a signature effect of interference by superposition. Here we propose that target-distractor similarity modulates not only forgetting from working memory but also encoding into long-term memory. In five experiments, we test this elaboration-by-superposition hypothesis, demonstrating that semantic relatedness between targets and distractors benefits delayed category-cued recall performance (Experiments 1a and 1b), which is not due to carry-over effects from working memory testing (Experiment 2). Just as in the case of working memory, this long-term memory effect is reduced when distractors precede targets (Experiment 3). Finally, we show that while high target-distractor similarity reduces forgetting from working memory, it produces net benefits for long-term memory performance (Experiment 4). Together, the results suggest that common mechanisms underlie encoding into working and long-term memory, and that bindings between features of spatiotemporal context and features of to-be-remembered items play a crucial role.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2022 APA. This is an author-produced version of a paper subsequently published in Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Working memory; Long-term memory; Distraction; Cued recall |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > Department of Psychology (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 01 Sep 2022 14:47 |
Last Modified: | 25 Sep 2024 14:03 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | American Psychological Association |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1037/xlm0001188 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:190298 |