Abstract
Recent studies of recognition memory indicate that subjects can strategically vary how much they rely on recollection of specific details vs. feelings of familiarity when making recognition judgments. One possible explanation of these results is that subjects can establish an internally directed attentional state (“listening for recollection”) that enhances retrieval of studied details; fluctuations in this attentional state over time should be associated with fluctuations in subjects’ recognition behavior. In this study, we used multi-voxel pattern analysis of fMRI data to identify brain regions that are involved in listening for recollection. We looked for brain regions that met the following criteria: (1) Distinct neural patterns should be present when subjects are instructed to rely on recollection vs. familiarity, and (2) fluctuations in these neural patterns should be related to recognition behavior in the manner predicted by dual-process theories of recognition: Specifically, the presence of the recollection pattern during the pre-stimulus interval (indicating that subjects are “listening for recollection” at that moment) should be associated with a selective decrease in false alarms to related lures. We found that pre-stimulus activity in the right supramarginal gyrus met all of these criteria, suggesting that this region proactively establishes an internally directed attentional state that fosters recollection. We also found other regions (e.g., left middle temporal gyrus) where the pattern of neural activity was related to subjects’ responding to related lures after stimulus onset (but not before), suggesting that these regions implement processes that are engaged in a reactive fashion to boost recollection.
Highlights
Dual-process theories of recognition propose that recognition judgments are made on the basis of two processes: the assessment of undifferentiated stimulus familiarity, and the recollection of specific details about a previous event
We looked for brain regions that met the following criteria: (1) Distinct neural patterns should be present when subjects are instructed to rely on recollection vs. familiarity, and (2) fluctuations in these neural patterns should be related to recognition behavior in the manner predicted by dual-process theories of recognition: the presence of the recollection pattern during the pre-stimulus interval should be associated with a selective decrease in false alarms to related lures
To identify brain regions that were involved in listening for recollection, we looked for regions where fluctuations in neural activity patterns during the pre-stimulus interval predicted responding to related lures
Summary
Dual-process theories of recognition propose that recognition judgments are made on the basis of two processes: the assessment of undifferentiated stimulus familiarity, and the recollection of specific details about a previous event (for a review, see Yonelinas, 2002). While there is general agreement that recollection and familiarity can contribute to recognition judgments, there is still extensive debate over how pervasively recollection contributes to recognition judgments. Just as we have the ability to carefully listen for faint noises, we can expend effort carefully “listening” for recollected details. The goal of this study was to use neural data to explore this process of “listening for recollection”: Are there behaviorally meaningful fluctuations in how much subjects are listening for recollection, and (if so) which brain systems implement this process?
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