Lecture 18 - Recognition Memory and EEG Flashcards
(30 cards)
What is signal detection theory in the context of recognition theory?
- Model where memory strength is treated as a continuous variable with overlapping normal distributions for old and new items
- Recognition involves setting a response criteria to distinguish hits, misses, false alarms, and correct rejections
What are the four possible outcomes in signal detection theory?
1) Hit: Respond “old” to an old item
2) Miss: Respond “new” to an old item
3) False alarm: Respond “old” to a new item
4) Correct rejection: Respond “new” to a new item
What does d’ mean in signal detection theory?
Discrimination sensitivity - the ability to distinguish between old and new items
What are dual-process models of recognition memory?
Models suggesting that recognition involves two processes:
- Familiarity (fast, automatic, lacks contextual details)
- Recollection (slower, effortful, involves retrieving contextual details)
How is familiarity modelled in dual-process accounts?
It’s modelled using signal detection theory - as a continuous variable
What does recollection involve?
Conscious retrieval of contextual details (e.g., colour, location, task), requiring more attention
What method provides evidence for the dual-process model using neural data?
EEG and ERP studies, particularly examining old/new ERP effects
What are Event-Related Potentials?
- Brain responses measured with EEG, time-locked to specific stimuli
- They reveal neural processes related to recognition memory
What is the logic of comparing old vs new items in ERP studies?
To identify ERP components that are reliably different when retrieving previously studied (old) vs unstudied (new) items - reflecting memory retrieval processes
What is the left-parietal old/new ERP effect?
- Onset: ~400-500ms
- Duration: ~500-800 ms
- Scalp location: Left-parietal
- Reflects recollection, especially when source memory is accurate (Wilding et al., 1995)
What is the mid-frontal/new ERP effect?
- Onset: ~300-500ms
- Scalp location: Mid-frontal
- Reflects familiarity, shown by greater positivity for hits than correct rejections (Azimian-Faridani & Wilding, 2006)
What did Azimian-Faridani & Wilding (2006) find about decision criterion and the mid-frontal effect?
Hits under conservative criteria (respond “old” only when confident) showed larger mid-frontal ERP effects, suggesting this reflects familiarity strength
How does the Remember/Know paradigm work (Tulving, 1985)?
- Participants indicate if they Remember (recollect details), Know (familiar but no details), or judge the item as New
- Used to separate recollection and familiarity
What did Yu & Rugg (2010) do to dissociate familiarity and recollection?
Used a modified Remember/Know paradigm:
- Remember
- Confident old (CO)
- Unconfident old (UO)
- Unconfident new (UN)
- Confident new (CN)
Predictions:
- Mid-frontal effect: varies with confidence (CO > UO > UN > CN)
- Left-parietal effect: only for Remember responses
What do the ERP findings from Yu & Rugg (2010) support?
The dual-process model: distinct ERP patterns for recollection (left-parietal) and familiarity (mid-frontal)
What is the temporal and spatial distinction between the ERP old/new effects?
- Mid-frontal: 300-500 ms, mid-frontal sites, reflects familiarity
- Left-parietal: 500-800 ms, left-parietal sites, reflects recollection
Signal detection for “old” to a new item?
False alarm
Signal detection for “new” to an old item?
Miss
Signal detection: d’ refers to…?
Discrimination sensitivity
Dual-process: recollection or familiarity, which is fast?
Familiarity
ERP effect for recollection?
Left-parietal old/new effect
ERP effect for familiarity?
Mid-frontal old/new effect
Left-parietal ERP: when does it peak?
500-800 ms
Mid-frontal ERP: when is it evident?
300-500 ms
