When distraction benefits memory through semantic similarity

Maciej Hanczakowski,C Philip Beaman,Dylan M Jones

doi:10.1016/j.jml.2016.11.005

Maciej Hanczakowski, C Philip Beaman + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2016.11.005

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Abstract

The processing of the relation between targets and distracters which underpins the impairment in memory for visually presented words when accompanied by semantically related auditory distracters—the between-sequence semantic similarity effect—might also disambiguate category membership of to-be-remembered words, bringing about improved memory for these words at recall. In this series of experiments the usual impairment of the between-sequence semantic similarity effect is reversed: we show that related distracters can improve memory performance when multiple-category lists are studied and a category-cued recall test is used at retrieval. The results indicate not only that irrelevant speech distracters are routinely processed for meaning, but also that semantic information gleaned from this stream is retained until recall of the memoranda is cued. The data are consistent with a revised interaction-by-process framework.

Highlights

Performing difficult or challenging cognitive tasks requires focused attention, for which it is necessary to partition task-relevant information from the external environment and the distractions it presents
An overall framework for understanding auditory distraction effects is one of interference-by-process (Jones & Tremblay, 2000), according to which the similarity between the processes engaged in performing the primary memory task and those used to register the environment determine the degree of interference observed in memory performance
Using a paradigm not much different from the one commonly used to explore semantic auditory distraction we have shown that related distracters from a supposedly unattended source convey category information that can be used to inform subsequent memory tests, and that assessments of future memory performance reflect this

Summary

Introduction

Performing difficult or challenging cognitive tasks requires focused attention, for which it is necessary to partition task-relevant information from the external environment and the distractions it presents. The logical consequence of such a system is distractibility It means that even when a person is highly q The research reported in this article was supported by Economic and Social Research Council (UK) grant ES/L00710X/1 awarded to Philip Beaman and Dylan Jones. An overall framework for understanding auditory distraction effects is one of interference-by-process (Jones & Tremblay, 2000), according to which the similarity between the processes engaged in performing the primary memory task and those used to register the environment determine the degree of interference observed in memory performance.

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