Prospective Memory: Comparing Self- and Proxy-Reports with Cognitive Modeling of Task Performance

Abstract

Prospective memory (PM) refers to remembering to perform an action in the future and is crucial in everyday life. Self-report questionnaires are sometimes used to assess PM problems. In two studies, we compared self-ratings on the Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ, G. Smith, Della Sala, Logie, & Maylor, 2000 ) with actual performance in laboratory PM tasks using Bayesian hierarchical multinomial modeling. In Study 2, we additionally collected parents’ ratings of high-school students via the PRMQ. Results indicate a relationship between parents’ ratings and self-ratings of prospective and retrospective memory. There was, however, no relationship of any of the PRMQ measures with PM performance or model-based estimates of retrospective and prospective components of PM. The findings suggest that questionnaires not be used in lieu of performance measures of PM.