Prospective and Retrospective Memory for Intentions: A Two-Component Approach

Abstract

Consumer behavior often involves the formation of purchase intentions; however, successful memory for previously formed intentions is necessary for the intentions to be acted on. This article delineates a 2‐component approach to understanding memory for previously formed intentions, separating a prospective memory component from a retrospective memory component. Memory that a person had intended to do something is prospective (remembering to remember), whereas memory for the content of the intended action is retrospective (remembering what to remember). This research investigated these 2 components in a situation in which multiple intentions were present and examined the extent to which important intentions influenced prospective and retrospective memory for other, less important intentions. The results indicated that increasing the importance of an intention facilitated both prospective and retrospective memory. However, the influence of an important intention on memory for unimportant intentions depended on both the order and type of memory component. Prospective memory was better for unimportant intentions that preceded the completion of the important intention but was unaffected after completion of the important intention. Retrospective memory, on the other hand, did not differ across order. Hence, it appears that these 2 components are theoretically and empirically separable and may derive from different underlying processes.