Chewing gum and context-dependent memory

Abstract

A series of three experiments re-examined the extent to which chewing spearmint gum affects initial word learning and/or immediate recall for a word list. Employing repeated-measures designs both Experiments 1 and 2 failed to demonstrate effects of chewing gum at either learning or recall, nor did they suggest that chewing gum produces a context-dependent memory effect. This was true when extraneous contextual cues at learning and recall were minimised (Experiment 2). A final experiment employed a between-subjects design and was a very close replication of Baker, Bezance, Zellaby, and Aggleton (2004) study. Chewing gum at learning significantly impaired recall, suggesting that the chewing of gum has a detrimental impact upon initial word encoding. In addition, a context-dependent memory effect was reported only for those participants who both learned and recalled in the absence of gum. However, a context-dependent effect was absent for those participants who chewed gum. Taken together these data are consistent with Baker et al.'s (2004) finding that chewing gum of itself is not a sufficient condition to provoke context-dependent learning with immediate testing. Baker, J. B., Bezance, E., Zellaby, & Aggleton, J. P. (2004). Chewing gum can produce context-dependent effects upon memory. Appetite, 43, 207–210.