Abstract
One influential theory on object knowledge is feature-based model, which proposes that the object knowledge is organized by different feature types, such as sensory/perceptual and motor/functional ones. Previous studies have shown that prior knowledge enhances the processes of acquiring and remembering relevant information. However, whether the effect of prior knowledge is applied to different types of conceptual information over time remains unclear. In this study, we addressed this question by testing memory of different types of object features at various retention intervals. The level of prior knowledge was manipulated as object features from familiar and unfamiliar categories. In Experiments 1 and 2, sentences that described the perceptual and functional features of new words were presented. Sentences with episodic features were additionally presented in Experiment 2. The participants were then tested with recognition (Experiment 1) and recall (Experiment 2) tasks at different retention intervals. The results showed that prior knowledge enhanced memory for perceptual features but not for functional and episodic features. Such enhancement depended on the recollection process. In addition, the effect of prior knowledge on perceptual features remained stable over time. This study clarified how different types of new factual information were acquired and maintained and highlighted the importance of prior knowledge in acquiring new conceptual knowledge with the passage of time.
Highlights
We have a large amount of general knowledge about every-day objects
ANOVA of prior knowledge ∗ feature type ∗ retention interval showed that the sentences with high prior knowledge were recognized better than those with low prior knowledge [F(1,20) = 20.24, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.50], and the perceptual features were recognized better than the functional features [F(1,20) = 7.20, p = 0.01, ηp2 = 0.19]
Further analysis showed that enhanced memory performance for prior knowledge only appeared for the perceptual features (p < 0.001), but not for the functional features (p = 0.12; Figure 2B)
Summary
We have a large amount of general knowledge about every-day objects. This type of memory is referred to as semantic memory or conceptual knowledge (Patterson et al, 2007; Binder and Desai, 2011). One influential theory in this field is feature-based model It proposes that conceptual knowledge is organized by different attributes or features, such as perceptual and motor/functional, and processing these features relies on different brain systems (Warrington and McCarthy, 1983; Warrington and Shallice, 1984; Barsalou et al, 2003; Martin, 2007; Mahon and Caramazza, 2009; Gainotti et al, 2013; Binder et al, 2016). When we see flowers, we obtain their perceptual attributes, such as color, shape, appearance, and odor Their functional features, such as where they grow and what particular function they serve (e.g., scissors can be used for cutting papers), are obtained. The perceptual features are defined as information from different perceptual modalities (e.g., visual, auditory), whereas the functional features are defined as abstract and propositional properties (e.g., where objects are typically found, their social significance, and context use; Warrington and Shallice, 1984; Martin and Chao, 2001; Canessa et al, 2008)
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