Chewing gum and context dependent memory: The independent roles of chewing gum and mint flavour

Abstract

Two experiments independently investigated the basis of the chewing-gum induced context-dependent memory effect (Baker, Bezance, Zellaby, & Aggleton, 2004). At learning and/or recall participants either chewed flavourless gum (Experiment 1) or received mint-flavoured strips (Experiment 2). No context dependent memory effect was found with either flavourless gum or mint-flavoured strips, indicating that independently the contexts were insufficiently salient to induce the effect. This is found despite participants’ subjective ratings indicating a perceived change in internal state following administration of flavourless gum and mint-flavoured strips. Additionally, some preliminary evidence for a non-additive facilitative effect on memory of receiving gum or flavour at either learning and/or recall is reported. The findings raise further concerns regarding the robustness of the previously context-dependent memory effect with chewing gum. Baker, J. B., Bezance, E., Zellaby, & Aggleton, J. P. (2004). Chewing gum can produce context-dependent effects upon memory. Appetite, 43, 207–210.