Encountering items previously paired with prospective memory target events can serve to reactivate intentions

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to determine whether encountering items that were previously paired with prospective memory (PM) targets would serve as effective reminders and thereby improve PM performance. Experiment 1 showed that PM target detection was facilitated by encountering items (cues) that were paired with PM targets prior to intention formation, and that such facilitation was not dependent upon cues and PM targets being semantically related. Using a categorical intention, Experiment 2 showed that encountering cue items improved PM performance for all intention-related items, not just those previously paired with potential PM targets. However, the benefit of encountering cue items was moderated by the number of intervening trials between cues and targets. Overall, the data suggest that encountering items previously paired with target items induces reactivation of the intention but is only beneficial when the heightened level of activation can be maintained by working memory.