Prospective memory: a secondary task with promise

Abstract

This paper examines the utility of prospective memory as a secondary task. For this purpose, the results of seven experiments were analysed to evaluate the sensitivity of prospective memory, making a direct comparison with another secondary task (reaction time). Both tasks were used as subsidiary elements in a complex task environment, the design of which was based on the micro-world research paradigm. The results indicated that prospective memory was slightly more vulnerable to variations in experimental conditions than was reaction time. The paper concludes that, overall, prospective memory appears to be a suitable secondary task. This is partly attributed to the element of self-initiation, which is a feature of some prospective memory tasks. It is recommended to use time-based and pulse-based prospective memory tasks since they seem to be the more sensitive.