What effect does the relationship between the encoding-retrieval match and cue overload have on memory performance? Is confidence-accuracy correlation affected by the diagnostic value of a cue? An assessment of memory functions.

Sammanfattning: The encoding-retrieval match has been established as a means to improve memory performance. It has recently been proposed that memory performance is not only explained by the encoding-retrieval match and that the cue overload effect needs to be taken into account when predicting memory performance. In the present study, participants were tested using a cued recall methodology. During a study phase, participants viewed word-pairs with pictures in the background. During the test phase the participants identified whether intact or recombined word-pairs were presented while again having pictures in the background. The pictures contributed as retrieval cues during the test phase. The participants also rated their confidence about their decision on a 1-5 scale. By using the pictures in the background as the manipulation, memory performance in a Baseline condition, a Diagnostic Cue condition (with a unique picture) and a Non-Diagnostic Cue condition (with a re-used picture) was statistically analyzed to explore the relationship between the encoding-retrieval match and the cue overload effect. The analysis showed that during the Diagnostic Cue condition, participants’ performance was enhanced relative to the Baseline condition. The cue overload effect undermined the positive effect that the encoding-retrieval match had on memory performance during the Non-Diagnostic Cue condition. Confidence ratings significantly and positively correlated with accuracy. No significant difference between the CA-correlations of the different conditions was discovered. This study's results suggests that a cues diagnostic value has great importance for whether a person may benefit or not from the encoding-retrieval match during cued recall.