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Mace JH, Ostermeier KL. Obtaining semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming on the vigilance task with non-verbal cues. Mem Cognit 2024; 52:1357-1367. [PMID: 38478294 DOI: 10.3758/s13421-024-01547-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/30/2024]
Abstract
Recent research has shown that the activation of semantic memories leads to the activation of autobiographical memories. Known as semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming, this form of priming has been demonstrated to prime involuntary and voluntary autobiographical memories with a wide variety of different primes (i.e., various verbal and non-verbal stimuli). However, only verbal cues have been used in the memory measures, leaving open the question of how non-verbal cues might function. Our goal in the current study was to show that non-verbal cues are also involved in semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming. Participants were primed with words, and then they were treated to an involuntary autobiographical memory task (the vigilance task) where they received either word cues or pictorial cues. The results showed that both the word cues and the pictorial cues had captured primed involuntary memories on the vigilance task relative to controls. The results support the idea that semantic-to-autobiographical memory primes occur with both verbal and non-verbal cues, potentially indicating substantial cue diversity. The results also further support the idea that semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming may play an important role in the production of involuntary autobiographical memories in everyday life.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Mace
- Psychology Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, 61920, USA.
| | - Kendra L Ostermeier
- Psychology Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, 61920, USA
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Mace JH, Keller SR. Semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming: the role of stimulus processing. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2024:10.1007/s00426-024-01999-w. [PMID: 38980357 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-024-01999-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
It is now well established that semantic processing can cause the activation of memories in the autobiographical memory system. Studies have shown that semantic processing of words, sounds, objects, or pictures primes autobiographical memories on voluntary and involuntary autobiographical memory tasks (the Crovitz cue-word task and the vigilance task). Known as semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming, our goal in the current study was to demonstrate that this form of priming occurs under different forms of processing (i.e., shallow versus deep), and that some forms of processing (e.g., visual mental imagery) may enhance priming in this domain. In Experiment 1, equivalent semantic-to-autobiographical priming was obtained on the vigilance task following shallow (e-counting) and deep (meaning judgements) word processing. In Experiment 2, word meaning judgements were compared to visual imagery of word meanings, and visual imagery led to more semantic-to-autobiographical priming on the vigilance task than meaning judgements. The results of these experiments support the idea that semantic-to-autobiographical priming occurs under a wide range of processing conditions, supporting a ubiquity claim, with some conditions producing more priming than others, and they further support the idea that this form of may play an important role in the production of involuntary memories in everyday life.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Mace
- Psychology Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, 61920, USA.
| | - Sophia R Keller
- Psychology Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, 61920, USA
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3
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Mace JH. Priming in the autobiographical memory system: implications and future directions. Memory 2024; 32:694-708. [PMID: 37922385 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2023.2277134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/05/2023]
Abstract
Studies examining priming in autobiographical memory are fewer in number (some two dozen) compared to other areas (e.g., semantic memory priming), which have seen hundreds of studies. Nevertheless, autobiographical memory priming studies have utilised quite a number of different experimental paradigms, with many having interesting ecological implications. This paper reviews the bulk of these studies. It discusses the various theoretical implications of these studies, past and present. It suggests numerous future directions in this area, as the study of priming in autobiographical memory has had significant implications, despite the small number of studies, and it offers enormous future potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Mace
- Department of Psychology, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, USA
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Conti M, Teghil A, Boccia M. The autobiographical fluency task: Validity and reliability of a tool to assess episodic autobiographical memory and experience-near personal semantics. J Neuropsychol 2024; 18:251-264. [PMID: 37837256 DOI: 10.1111/jnp.12351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
The assessment of autobiographical memory is challenging in clinical settings. The Autobiographical Fluency Task (AFT) - that is designed to test both Episodic Autobiographical Memory (EAM) and experience-near Personal Semantics (enPS) - may represent a feasible and rapid method to test access to autobiographical memories. Here we tested the reliability and the construct validity of the AFT. A total number of 51 individuals participated in the present study, with 24 included in Experiment 1 and 27 in Experiment 2. In Experiment 1, participants performed both the AFT and the Survey of Autobiographical Memory (SAM). In Experiment 2, participants completed the AFT and the Autobiographical Interview (AI). The AFT showed a moderate-to-high reliability. Also, EAM and enPS scores significantly correlated with the episodic subscale of the SAM. Results of Experiment 1 were replicated and expanded in Experiment 2. Again, the AFT showed a high reliability. Both EAM and enPS showed a significant correlation with the number of internal details produced during the AI; enPS also correlated with the number of external details. Overall, the present results show that the AFT may be a feasible instrument to assess autobiographical memory, especially for testing episodic autobiographical memory and experience-near personal semantics in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matilde Conti
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- PhD Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Alice Teghil
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Maddalena Boccia
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
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Teghil A, Boccia M. Brain connectivity patterns associated with individual differences in the access to experience-near personal semantics: a resting-state fMRI study. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 24:87-99. [PMID: 38200283 PMCID: PMC10827898 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-023-01149-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
It has been proposed that a continuum of specificity exists between episodic and semantic autobiographical memory. Personal semantics have been theorized to situate intermediately on this continuum, with more "experience-near" personal semantics (enPS) closer to the episodic end. We used individual differences in behavior as a model to investigate brain networks associated with the access to episodic autobiographical (EAM) and enPS information, assessing the relation between performance in the EAM and enPS conditions of the Autobiographical Fluency Task (AFT) and intrinsic brain connectivity. Results of an intrinsic connectivity contrast analysis showed that the global connectivity of two clusters in the left and right posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) was predicted by performance in the enPS conditions. Moreover, enPS scores predicted the connectivity strength of the right PCC with the bilateral anterior hippocampus (aHC), anterior middle temporal gyrus (aMTG) and medial orbitofrontal cortex, and the left aMTG and PCC. enPS scores also predicted the connectivity strength of the left PCC with the bilateral HC and MTG. The network highlighted involves parts of the core and of the dorsal medial subsystems of the Default Mode Network, in line with the proposal that enPS represents an intermediate entity between episodic and semantic memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Teghil
- Department of Psychology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via dei Marsi, 78, 00185, Rome, Italy.
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.
| | - Maddalena Boccia
- Department of Psychology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via dei Marsi, 78, 00185, Rome, Italy
- Cognitive and Motor Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
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Tanguay AFN, Palombo DJ, Love B, Glikstein R, Davidson PSR, Renoult L. The shared and unique neural correlates of personal semantic, general semantic, and episodic memory. eLife 2023; 12:e83645. [PMID: 37987578 PMCID: PMC10662951 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most common distinctions in long-term memory is that between semantic (i.e., general world knowledge) and episodic (i.e., recollection of contextually specific events from one's past). However, emerging cognitive neuroscience data suggest a surprisingly large overlap between the neural correlates of semantic and episodic memory. Moreover, personal semantic memories (i.e., knowledge about the self and one's life) have been studied little and do not easily fit into the standard semantic-episodic dichotomy. Here, we used fMRI to record brain activity while 48 participants verified statements concerning general facts, autobiographical facts, repeated events, and unique events. In multivariate analysis, all four types of memory involved activity within a common network bilaterally (e.g., frontal pole, paracingulate gyrus, medial frontal cortex, middle/superior temporal gyrus, precuneus, posterior cingulate, angular gyrus) and some areas of the medial temporal lobe. Yet the four memory types differentially engaged this network, increasing in activity from general to autobiographical facts, from autobiographical facts to repeated events, and from repeated to unique events. Our data are compatible with a component process model, in which declarative memory types rely on different weightings of the same elementary processes, such as perceptual imagery, spatial features, and self-reflection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annick FN Tanguay
- School of Psychology, University of OttawaOttawaCanada
- School of Psychology, University of East AngliaNorwichUnited Kingdom
| | - Daniela J Palombo
- Department of Psychology, University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | - Brittany Love
- School of Psychology, University of OttawaOttawaCanada
| | | | | | - Louis Renoult
- School of Psychology, University of East AngliaNorwichUnited Kingdom
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Renoult L, Debruille JB. From jamais to déjà vu: The respective roles of semantic and episodic memory in novelty monitoring and involuntary memory retrieval. Behav Brain Sci 2023; 46:e373. [PMID: 37961792 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x23000158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Barzykowski and Moulin's model proposes that déjà vu and involuntary autobiographical memories are the result of a continuously active memory system that tracks the novelty of situations. Déjà vu would only have episodic content and concern interpretation of prior experiences. We argue that these aspects of the model would gain to be clarified and explored further and we suggest possible directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Renoult
- School of Psychology, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK https://research-portal.uea.ac.uk/en/persons/louis-renoult
| | - J Bruno Debruille
- Department of Neuroscience, Frank B. Common Pavilion, Douglas Hospital Research Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada ://www.mcgill.ca/psychiatry/bruno-debruille
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Mace JH, Ostermeier KL, Zhu J. Semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming is ubiquitous. Mem Cognit 2023; 51:1729-1744. [PMID: 37173590 DOI: 10.3758/s13421-023-01430-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
It is now well established that the activation of semantic memories leads to the activation of autobiographical memories. Studies have shown that semantic processing of words or pictures primes autobiographical memories on voluntary and involuntary autobiographical memory tasks (the Crovitz cue-word task and the vigilance task). Known as semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming, our goal in the current study was to demonstrate the ubiquitous nature of this form of priming by showing that a wide variety of stimuli will prime involuntary autobiographical memories on the vigilance task. In Experiment 1, semantic-to-autobiographical priming was obtained on the vigilance task following the processing of sounds (e.g., the sound of bowling) and spoken words (e.g., the word bowling). In Experiment 2, semantic-to-autobiographical priming was observed on the vigilance task following tactile processing (e.g., the objects ball, glasses) and visual word processing (e.g., the words ball, glasses). In Experiment 3, semantic-to-autobiographical priming was observed on the vigilance task following the processing of videos (e.g., videos of a marching parade) and visual word processing (e.g., the word parade). The results of these experiments support the idea that semantic-to-autobiographical activations occur across a wide variety of stimuli (e.g., linguistic, perceptual). The results also further support the idea that semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming may play an important role in the production of involuntary memories in everyday life. Additional implications (for priming theory and autobiographical memory functions) are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Mace
- Psychology Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, 61920, USA.
| | - Kendra L Ostermeier
- Psychology Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, 61920, USA
| | - Jian Zhu
- Psychology Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, 61920, USA
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Semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming causes involuntary autobiographical memory production: The effects of single and multiple prime presentations. Mem Cognit 2023; 51:115-128. [PMID: 35835896 DOI: 10.3758/s13421-022-01342-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
A number of studies (Mace et al., Memory & Cognition, 47, 299-312, 2019; Mace & Unlu, Memory & Cognition, 48, 931-941, 2020) have demonstrated that the activation of semantic memories leads to the activation of autobiographical memories on an involuntary memory task (the vigilance task; Schlagman & Kvavilashvili, Memory & Cognition, 36, 920-932, 2008), suggesting that this form of priming (semantic-to-autobiographical) plays a role in the production of involuntary autobiographical memories in everyday life. In the current study, we investigated the effects of prime repetition on involuntary memory production in the vigilance task. Primed participants were either treated to one priming session, where they judged the familiarity of words (e.g., parade), or three priming sessions, where they also judged the familiarity of words as well as decided whether sentences containing the words made sense (e.g., the parade dragged on for hours), and if their corresponding images were sensible (e.g., an image of a parade). The results showed that primed participants produced more involuntary memories with primed content on the vigilance task than control participants, and three-session primed participants produced more memories than one-session primed participants. Similar to other areas where prime repetition has been investigated (e.g., implicit memory, semantic priming), the results show that prime repetition enhances semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming. The results also further support the idea that semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming may play a significant role in the production of involuntary memories in everyday life, as concept repetition is a likely part of everyday experience. These implications, as well as others, are discussed.
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Memory as a scale of simulation depending on the trace distinctiveness. Mem Cognit 2022; 51:875-897. [PMID: 36289156 DOI: 10.3758/s13421-022-01364-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
It has been proposed that representations emerge from a single memory system organized along a continuum of specificity. This continuum is assumed to reflect a scale between the simulation of overlapping and specific features of the traces, which depends on trace distinctiveness. More specifically, higher trace distinctiveness facilitates the simulation of trace-specific features, which increase the discriminability of traces and lead to the emergence of a more specific representation. In two experiments, participants were asked to identify match (low task discrimination demand) or mismatch (high task discrimination demand) associations between actions and characters that were visually either highly or lowly distinctive. The results of Experiment 1 show that in the high-distinctiveness context, performance was better when identifying a mismatch rather than a match, while the opposite was true in the low-distinctiveness context. The results of Experiment 2 show that using a dynamic visual noise to interfere with the participants' ability to simulate the features of the characters also reduced the benefit of the high-distinctiveness context for the mismatch trials (Experiment 2a and 2b) and increased the benefit of the low-distinctiveness context for the match trials (Experiment 2b). Taken together, these results suggest that the simulation of trace-specific features underlies the emergence of specific representations, which can be beneficial when the discrimination demand of the task is high and detrimental when this demand is low. Memory might therefore be viewed as a scale of simulation between overlapping and specific trace features.
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Mace JH, Hidalgo AM. Semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming affects involuntary autobiographical memory production after a long delay. Conscious Cogn 2022; 104:103385. [PMID: 35932638 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2022.103385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
It has recently been demonstrated that the activation of semantic memories primes involuntary autobiographical memories on a laboratory measure of involuntary memories (i.e., the vigilance task), suggesting that this form of priming (known as semantic-to-autobiographical) plays a role in the production of involuntary autobiographical memories in everyday life. Our goal in the current study was to replicate those priming effects, and show that they can have long durations. In a single experiment, semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming was obtained on the vigilance task following delays of several minutes and seven days. We argue that the results support the idea that semantic-to-autobiographical memory priming plays a role in the production of involuntary memories in everyday life. The full implications of delayed semantic-to-autobiographical priming are discussed.
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Abstract
The distinction between a semantic memory system, encompassing conceptual knowledge, and an episodic memory system, characterized by specific episodes, is one of the most important theoretical proposals in cognitive science. However, the distinction between systems has rarely been discussed in relation to spontaneous thought that comes to mind with reduced cognitive effort and intentionality. In this review, we propose that the growing research on spontaneous thought can contribute to current discussions on the interaction between the episodic and semantic systems. Firstly, we review research that shows that, as in deliberate retrieval, spontaneous thoughts are influenced by both episodic and semantic memory, as reflected by the mix of semantic and episodic elements in descriptions of spontaneous thoughts, as well as semantic priming effects in spontaneous thoughts. We integrate the current evidence based on the interplay between cues and semantic activation. Namely, we suggest that cues are key to access episodic memory and modulate the frequency of spontaneous thought, while semantic activation modulates the content of spontaneous thought. Secondly, we propose that spontaneous retrieval is a privileged area to explore the question of functional independence between systems, because it provides direct access to the episodic system. We review the evidence for spontaneous thought in semantic dementia, which suggests that episodic and semantic systems are functionally independent. We acknowledge the scarcity of evidence and suggest that future studies examine the contents of spontaneous thought descriptions and their neural correlates to test the functional relationship and inform the interaction between episodic and semantic systems.
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