Superior Memory Performance Research Articles

Evaluation and Comparison of the Performance of Different Hypervisors under Various Workloads of GIADEC

This research study evaluates and compares the performance of Hyper-V, Citrix Xen, and VMware ESXi to aid Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) in informed hypervisor selection. The study focuses on identifying the optimal hypervisor for GIADEC, considering factors like effectiveness and efficient resource utilization. It aims to improve resource allocation, hypervisor selection, and performance optimization within GIADEC's IT infrastructure. Using a qualitative approach and extensive literature review, the study supports informed decision-making for hypervisor selection. Through benchmarking with Passmark Performance Test Suite and BootRacer application, each hypervisor underwent rigorous testing across various performance metrics. The study assesses performance aspects including installation and booting times, CPU, memory, disk, and network performance. Results highlight distinct advantages of each hypervisor: Hyper-V for quick virtualization deployment, VMware ESXi for superior CPU, memory, and network performance. Hyper-V excels in memory write and disk sequential read/write speeds, while VMware ESXi demonstrates low memory latency and superior network bandwidth. It is recommended that GIADEC should consider VMware ESXi due to its outstanding overall performance and suitability for diverse workload requirements. This study adds to the knowledge base on hypervisor performance evaluation and supports GIADEC's decision-making process for optimal hypervisor selection.

Long-term memory for faces in dysmorphic concern and self-reported body dysmorphic disorder

Dysmorphic concerns are a core symptom of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a mental disorder characterized by a preoccupation with perceived appearance-related flaws. Different cognitive and perceptual biases are associated with dysmorphic concern or BDD, including object-related short-term memory deficits and superior short-term memory performance for facial features. A face-related long-term memory bias might explain the feature of perceiving flaws and why individuals with BDD experience adverse outcomes of cosmetic surgery. The present study aimed at investigating long-term memory (LTM) performance for different facial stimuli. 62 participants completed an online experiment (30 with low and 32 with high dysmorphic concern; 39 without and 23 with self-reported BDD). The experiment consisted of two consecutive old/new recognition tasks, testing memory performance of whole faces and facial features. LTM performance was higher for whole faces than for facial features across groups. Neither significant differences between the low and high dysmorphic concern groups nor an interaction of group x stimulus type were found. Post hoc exploratory analyses revealed lower long-term memory performance in individuals with versus without self-reported BDD. The results indicate that memory performance might be only affected in BDD rather than non-clinical or non–BDD-specific dysmorphic concerns.

Cerebral blood flow regulation and cognitive performance in hypertension

We examined the relation between transcranial Doppler (TCD) markers of cerebral blood flow regulation and cognitive performance in hypertension (HT) patients to evaluate the predictive value of these markers for cognitive decline. We assessed dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA), vasoreactivity to carbon dioxide, and neurovascular coupling (NVC) in the middle (MCA) and posterior (PCA) cerebral arteries of 52 patients. Neuropsychological evaluation included the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and tests covering attention, executive function, processing speed, and memory. Notably, reduced rate time in the PCA significantly predicted better processing speed (p = 0.003). Furthermore, reduced overshoot systolic cerebral blood velocity in the PCA and reduced phase in the VLF range in the MCA (p = 0.021 and p = 0.017, respectively) significantly predicted better memory. Intriguingly, enhanced dCA in the MCA predicted poorer memory performance, while reduced NVC in the PCA predicted both superior processing speed and memory performance. These findings suggest that HT-induced changes in cerebral hemodynamics impact cognitive performance. Further research should verify these observations and elucidate whether these changes represent adaptive responses or neurovascular inefficiency. TCD markers might provide insights into HT-related cognitive decline.

Design and development of shape memory polyurethane coated fabric with excellent memory performance

AbstractIn this study, we investigate the fabrication of ambient room temperature responsive shape memory polyurethane (SMPU)‐coated fabric using a simple dip coating method, aiming to enhance the shape memory response of smart textiles. Two SMPU were synthesized using different chain extender 1,4 butanediol (BDO‐SMPU) and polyethylenimine (PEI‐SMPU). Critical parameters such as SMPU concentration, dwell time, and coating solution temperature are optimized to ensure exceptional shape memory performance while also maintaining the fabric's handle, comfort, and durability. We determined that PEI‐SMPU/Cotton fabric exhibits superior memory performance, with a 90.2% shape recovery at a 1% PEI‐SMPU concentration. Conversely, BDO‐SMPU fabric demonstrated a 75.8% shape recovery under different conditions (10% SMPU concentration, 50°C solution temperature). Furthermore, shape recovery is influenced by programming temperature and load; at 35°C and 10 N load, PEI‐SMPU/Cotton significantly outperforms BDO‐SMPU/Cotton, showing about 20% improvement in shape recovery. This study indicates that modifying SMPU from BDO‐SMPU to PEI‐SMPU can notably enhance shape recovery performance at 35°C, marking a significant advancement in human body temperature responsive smart fabric technology.

The effect of fingerprint expertise on visual short-term memory

Expert fingerprint examiners demonstrate impressive feats of memory that may support their accuracy when making high-stakes identification decisions. Understanding the interplay between expertise and memory is therefore critical. Across two experiments, we tested fingerprint examiners and novices on their visual short-term memory for fingerprints. In Experiment 1, experts showed substantially higher memory performance compared to novices for fingerprints from their domain of expertise. In Experiment 2, we manipulated print distinctiveness and found that while both groups benefited from distinctive prints, experts still outperformed novices. This indicates that beyond stimulus qualities, expertise itself enhances short-term memory, likely through more effective organisational processing and sensitivity to meaningful patterns. Taken together, these findings shed light on the cognitive mechanisms that may explain fingerprint examiners’ superior memory performance within their domain of expertise. They further suggest that training to improve memory for diverse fingerprints could practically boost examiner performance. Given the high-stakes nature of forensic identification, characterising psychological processes like memory that potentially contribute to examiner accuracy has important theoretical and practical implications.

Death Induced by Survival gene Elimination (DISE) correlates with neurotoxicity in Alzheimer’s disease and aging

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration, but the specific events that cause cell death remain poorly understood. Death Induced by Survival gene Elimination (DISE) is a cell death mechanism mediated by short (s) RNAs acting through the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). DISE is thus a form of RNA interference, in which G-rich 6mer seed sequences in the sRNAs (position 2-7) target hundreds of C-rich 6mer seed matches in genes essential for cell survival, resulting in the activation of cell death pathways. Here, using Argonaute precipitation and RNAseq (Ago-RP-Seq), we analyze RISC-bound sRNAs to quantify 6mer seed toxicity in several model systems. In mouse AD models and aging brain, in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons from AD patients, and in cells exposed to Aβ42 oligomers, RISC-bound sRNAs show a shift to more toxic 6mer seeds compared to controls. In contrast, in brains of “SuperAgers”, humans over age 80 who have superior memory performance, RISC-bound sRNAs are shifted to more nontoxic 6mer seeds. Cells depleted of nontoxic sRNAs are sensitized to Aβ42-induced cell death, and reintroducing nontoxic RNAs is protective. Altogether, the correlation between DISE and Aβ42 toxicity suggests that increasing the levels of nontoxic miRNAs in the brain or blocking the activity of toxic RISC-bound sRNAs could ameliorate neurodegeneration.

Grip strength, working memory, and emotion perception in middle-aged males.

This study examined the association between grip strength and emotional working memory in middle-aged adults. Seventy-six males aged 40-60years (mean=48.5years, SD=5.4) participated in this cross-sectional study. They completed a muscular fitness assessment using a maximum grip strength test and emotional n-back tasks under two emotion conditions (fearful and neutral facial pictures) and two working memory loads (1-back and 2-back tasks). Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that greater muscular fitness was associated with superior working memory performance in the fearful condition in both the 1-back and 2-back tasks, after controlling for confounders. Greater muscular fitness was also associated with superior working memory performance in the neutral condition when the working memory load was high (2-back task) but not low (1-back task). These findings suggest a positive association between muscular fitness and emotional working memory and highlight the importance of maintaining muscular fitness for physical and cognitive-emotional well-being in middle-aged adults.

Development of NIR light-responsive shape memory composites based on bio-benzoxazine/bio-urethane copolymers reinforced with graphene.

In this work, shape memory polymers (SMPs) were developed from a combination of a bio-based benzoxazine (BZ) monomer and polyurethane prepolymer (PU-prepolymer), both derived from bio-based raw materials. The bio-based BZ monomer (V-fa monomer) was synthesized through a Mannich condensation reaction using vanillin, paraformaldehyde, and furfurylamine. The bio-based PU-prepolymer was obtained by reacting palm oil polyol (MW = 1400 Da) and toluene diisocyanate (TDI). To investigate the curing behavior of poly(V-fa/urethane), with a mass ratio of 50/50, differential scanning calorimetry was employed. The structure of the resulting poly(V-fa/urethane) was confirmed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Furthermore, the synthesized V-fa/urethane copolymers with weight ratios of 70/30, 60/40, 50/50 and 40/60 were observed to exhibit shape memory behaviors induced by near-infrared irradiation (808 nm). Poly(V-fa/urethane), specifically with a mass ratio of 50/50, demonstrated superior shape memory performance. It exhibited a remarkable capacity to retain the temporary shape up to 90%, achieve 99% shape recovery, and exhibit a recovery time of 25 s. The shape memory properties were further improved with the addition of 3 wt% graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), exhibiting an improvement in the shape fixity value to 94%, and shape recovery time value to 16 s. Moreover, our findings suggest that 60/40 poly(V-fa/urethane) reinforced with 3 wt% GNPs possesses favorable characteristics for applications as multiple SMPs, with shape fixity values of 97% and 94%, and shape recovery values of 96% and 89% for the first and second shapes, respectively.

Enrollment and Scientific Progress of the Multisite SuperAging Research Initiative

AbstractBackgroundThe SuperAging Research Initiative is a multisite consortium focused on identifying factors promoting extraordinary cognitive aging. The designation of SuperAger is reserved for individuals age 80+ who have episodic memory capacity that would be considered at least average for those 2‐3 decades younger. The presence of such outliers raises questions of fundamental importance to the neurobiology of brain aging, resilience, resistance, and avoidance of cognitive decline caused by Alzheimer’s disease. The original study of SuperAgers emerged at Northwestern and helped establish the phenotype. The SuperAging Research Initiative was established in 2021 and is focused on increasing minority representation and expanding deep phenotyping of this unique population.MethodsHarmonized data collection has been initiated across the five sites including behavioral, health, biologic, genetic, environmental, socioeconomic, psychosocial, neuroanatomic, and neuropathologic factors. Here we summarize the initial recruitment progress and baseline characteristics of the current cohort.ResultsWe will present the organizational structure, progress, and baseline characteristics of the cohort to date. The SuperAging Research Initiative includes three Cores (Administrative/Biostatistics, Clinical/Imaging, and Biospecimen/Neuropathology) and two Research Projects. Enrollment (target, n = 500) has commenced across four U.S. Sites located in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Georgia, and a Canadian Site in Southwest Ontario, with a focus on enrollment of Black SuperAgers and Cognitively Average Elderly Controls with similar demographics. Project 1 uses state‐of‐the‐art wearable technology to obtain quantitative measurements of daily life including, sleep, physical activity, autonomic responsivity, and social engagement to determine whether SuperAgers have relatively preserved physiologic and behavioral ‘complexity’ compared to Controls. Project 2 focuses on transcriptomic, genetic, and protein profiling to examine central and peripheral immune and inflammatory system parameters of SuperAgers.ConclusionsBy identifying factors contributing to superior memory performance in old age, outcomes may help isolate modifiable factors that promote healthspan and perhaps also prevent age‐related brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Menopause age, reproductive span and hormone therapy duration predict the volume of medial temporal lobe brain structures in postmenopausal women

Medial temporal lobe (MTL) atrophy is correlated with risk and severity of Alzheimer disease (AD) pathology and cognitive decline. Increasing evidence suggest that oestrogens affect the aging of MTL structures. Here we investigate the relationship between reproductive hormone exposure, polygenic scores for AD risk and oestradiol concentration, MTL anatomy and cognitive performance in postmenopausal women. To this end, we used data from 10,924 female participants in the UK Biobank from whom brain MRI and genetic data were available. We fitted linear regression models to test whether the volume of structures comprising the MTL were predicted by a) timing related to menopause, b) the use and timing of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and c) polygenic scores for AD risk and oestradiol concentration. Results showed that longer use of HRT was associated with larger parahippocampal volumes (2.53 mm3/year, p = 0.042). A later age of natural menopause, and a longer reproductive span, was associated with larger hippocampal (6.08 and 5.72 mm3/year, p = 0.0006 and 0.0005), parahippocampal (4.17 mm3 and 4.19 mm3/year, p = 0.00006 and 0.00001), amygdala (2.10 and 2.22 mm3/year, p = 0.028 and 0.01) and perirhinal cortical (2.56 and 2.95 mm3/year, p = 0.028 and 0.008) volumes. Superior prospective memory performance was associated with later age at natural menopause, and a longer reproductive span (ß = 0.05 and 0.05 respectively, p = 0.019 and 0.019). Polygenic scores for AD risk and for oestradiol concentration were not associated with MTL volume and did not interact with menopause-related factors to affect MTL structure. Our results suggest that HRT use did not have any detrimental effects on cognition or brain structure, whilst greater exposure to reproductive hormones across time is associated both with slightly larger volumes of specific MTL structures and marginally superior memory performance, independent of genetic risk for AD and genetic predisposition for higher oestradiol levels. However, the clinical utility of maintenance of oestrogens post-menopause for brain health and protection against cognitive decline is curtailed by the small effect sizes observed.

Hippocampal Metabolic Alterations in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has been overwhelmingly applied to motor regions to date and our understanding of frontotemporal metabolic signatures is relatively limited. The association between metabolic alterations and cognitive performance in also poorly characterised. In a multimodal, prospective pilot study, the structural, metabolic, and diffusivity profile of the hippocampus was systematically evaluated in patients with ALS. Patients underwent careful clinical and neurocognitive assessments. All patients were non-demented and exhibited normal memory performance. 1H-MRS spectra of the right and left hippocampi were acquired at 3.0T to determine the concentration of a panel of metabolites. The imaging protocol also included high-resolution T1-weighted structural imaging for subsequent hippocampal grey matter (GM) analyses and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for the tractographic evaluation of the integrity of the hippocampal perforant pathway zone (PPZ). ALS patients exhibited higher hippocampal tNAA, tNAA/tCr and tCho bilaterally, despite the absence of volumetric and PPZ diffusivity differences between the two groups. Furthermore, superior memory performance was associated with higher hippocampal tNAA/tCr bilaterally. Both longer symptom duration and greater functional disability correlated with higher tCho levels. Hippocampal 1H-MRS may not only contribute to a better academic understanding of extra-motor disease burden in ALS, but given its sensitive correlations with validated clinical metrics, it may serve as practical biomarker for future clinical and clinical trial applications. Neuroimaging protocols in ALS should incorporate MRS in addition to standard structural, functional, and diffusion sequences.

Synthesis and properties of semicrystalline non‐isocyanate polyurethane with tunable triple shape memory properties

AbstractNowadays, polyurethanes with multifunctional and multiple shape memory effects, especially those without the use of toxic phosgene and isocyanate, have attracted significant attention. In this work, to prepare a kind of non‐isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) with triple shape memory effect, we introduced the behenic acid (BA) with good crystallinity into the NIPUs network, which combines glass transition of the cross‐linked network and crystallization‐melting of behenic acid, endowing the NIPUs with two independent transition temperatures: the glass transition temperature (Tg) and crystallization melting temperature (Tm). Specifically, the NIPUs were synthesized by the addition reaction of bi‐functional cyclic carbonate and semi‐crystalline curing agent. The bi‐functional cyclic carbonate was prepared by thiol‐ene click reaction, and the BA was grafted onto polyethyleneimine to prepare semi‐crystalline curing agent. By adjusting the ratio of BA to PEI and curing temperature, the crystallinity of NIPU can be tuned in a wide range, so that the NIPUs has tunable and superior triple shape memory performance, and the shape recovery rate is almost 100%.

The SuperAging Research Initiative: A multisite consortium focused on identifying factors promoting extraordinary cognitive aging

AbstractBackgroundThe designation of SuperAger is reserved for individuals age 80+ who have episodic memory capacity that would be considered at least average for those 2‐3 decades younger. The presence of such outliers raises questions of fundamental importance to the neurobiology of brain aging. Have these superior memory performers resisted age‐related changes, or have they simply started from a much higher baseline? Do they have identifiable peculiarities of genetic background? Is there something special about their brain structure or perhaps their resistance to age‐related processes such as neurofibrillary degeneration and amyloid deposition? These are the questions that were initially addressed by the Northwestern SuperAging Project, which identified unique results encompassing cognitive, psychosocial, molecular, and neuropathologic markers that characterize SuperAgers. Obstacles to further progress have been the relative rarity of this phenotype and, consequently, the barriers to racial diversity in the cohort.MethodsTo address these challenges, we established the SuperAging Research Initiative, a multicenter study focused on increased minority representation, to identify behavioral, health, biologic, genetic, environmental, socioeconomic, psychosocial, neuroanatomic, and neuropathologic factors associated with SuperAging.ResultsHere we provide the organizational structure and progress to date of the SuperAging Research Initiative, which includes three Cores (Administrative/Biostatistics, Clinical/Imaging, and Biospecimen/Neuropathology) and two Research Projects. Enrollment (n = 500) is planned across four US Sites located in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Georgia, and a Canadian Site in Southwest Ontario, with a focus on enrollment of Black SuperAgers and Cognitively Average Elderly Controls with similar demographics. Project 1 uses state‐of‐the‐art wearable technology to obtain quantitative everyday measurements of life sleep, physical activity, autonomic responsivity, and social engagement to determine whether SuperAgers have relatively preserved physiologic and behavioral ‘complexity’ compared to Controls. Project 2 focuses on transcriptomic, genetic, and protein profiling to examine central and peripheral immune and inflammatory system parameters of SuperAgers.ConclusionsBy identifying factors contributing to superior memory performance in old age, outcomes may help isolate modifiable factors that promote healthspan and perhaps also prevent age‐related brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Structural and Functional MRI Data Differentially Predict Chronological Age and Behavioral Memory Performance.

Human cognitive abilities decline with increasing chronological age, with decreased explicit memory performance being most strongly affected. However, some older adults show "successful aging," that is, relatively preserved cognitive ability in old age. One explanation for this could be higher brain-structural integrity in these individuals. Alternatively, the brain might recruit existing resources more efficiently or employ compensatory cognitive strategies. Here, we approached this question by testing multiple candidate variables from structural and functional neuroimaging for their ability to predict chronological age and memory performance, respectively. Prediction was performed using support vector machine (SVM) classification and regression across and within two samples of young (N = 106) and older (N = 153) adults. The candidate variables were (1) behavioral response frequencies in an episodic memory test; (2) recently described functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scores reflecting preservation of functional memory networks; (3) whole-brain fMRI contrasts for novelty processing and subsequent memory; (4) resting-state fMRI maps quantifying voxel-wise signal fluctuation; and (5) gray matter volume estimated from structural MRIs. While age group could be reliably decoded from all variables, chronological age within young and older subjects was best predicted from gray matter volume. In contrast, memory performance was best predicted from task-based fMRI contrasts and particularly single-value fMRI scores, whereas gray matter volume has no predictive power with respect to memory performance in healthy adults. Our results suggest that superior memory performance in healthy older adults is better explained by efficient recruitment of memory networks rather than by preserved brain structure.

Variable Learning‐Memory Behavior from π‐Conjugated Ligand to Ligand‐Containing Cobalt(II) Complex†

Comprehensive SummaryIn the information‐explosion era, developing novel algorithms and memristive devices has become a promising concept for next‐generation capacity enlargement technology. Organic small molecule‐based devices displaying superior learning‐memory performance have attracted much attention, except for the existence of poor heat‐resilience and mediocre conductivity. In this paper, a strategy of transforming an organic‐type data‐storage material to metal complex is proposed to resolve these intrinsic issues. A pristine NDI‐derivative (NIPy) and its corresponding Co(II) complex (CoNIPy) are synthesized for the purpose of electrical property investigation. CoNIPy complex‐based memristive device exhibits superior ternary WORM memory performance compared with the binary behavior of NIPy, including >104 s of reading, lower threshold voltage (Vth), 1: 102: 105 of OFF/ON1/ON2 current ratio, and long‐term stability in heating environment. The variable learning‐memory behavior can be attributed to the enhanced ligand‐to‐metal charge transfer (LMCT) and improved redox activity after the introduction of central metal atom and coordination bond. These studies on material innovation and optimal performance are of great importance not only for environmentally‐robust memristive devices but also for practical application of a host of organic electronic devices.

The functional connectivity of basal forebrain is associated with superior memory performance in older adults: a case-control study

BackgroundAging is related with memory deterioration. However, some older adults demonstrate superior performance compared to age- and education-matched adults, who are referred to as superagers. To explore the neural mechanisms that mediate their unusually successful memory is important not only for the ameliorate the effects of aging in brain, but also for the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease. This case-control study is aimed to investigate the effects of volume and function of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons on the cognition of superagers.MethodsThe morphometric and resting-state functional MRI analysis, including 34 superagers and 48 typical older adults, were conducted. We compared the basal forebrain gray matter density and related resting-state functional connectivity (FC) in the two groups. To investigate the relationship of FC with cognition, we measure the correlation of significant altered FC and individual cognitive domain.ResultsNo significant differences of gray matter density was observed between superagers and typical older adults. The superagers had stronger cortical FC of Ch1-3 with left putamen and insular cortex. The strength of FC positively correlated with global cognition, memory and executive function.ConclusionsThese findings demonstrated that the stronger FC of basal forebrain correlated with specific cognitive difference in global cognition and domains of memory and executive function in superagers.

Personality traits affect older adults' memory differently depending on the environmental support provided at encoding

Research suggests that personality traits are associated with memory performance, particularly as people age. In two studies, we examined two personality traits (openness to experience and neuroticism) that have been hypothesized to modulate episodic memory performance in older adults. We tested the hypothesis that these traits would be differently associated with episodic memory according to the amount of cognitive support provided at encoding. We examined the role of these personality traits in free recall when performance was supported by prior task success versus no prior task success (Experiment 1) and by generating versus reading (Experiment 2). Results showed that prior task success and generating items led to superior memory performance. In both studies, openness to experience was positively associated with memory performance and neuroticism was negatively associated with memory performance. Further, openness accounted for the most variability in recall performance under conditions providing low cognitive support and neuroticism, on the other hand, accounted for recall in both high and low support conditions. Results suggest that neuroticism is a key personality trait implicated in memory performance, but for the most difficult memory tasks, a high level in openness may aid memory performance.

Modulating human memory for complex scenes with artificially generated images

Visual memory schemas (VMS) are two-dimensional memorability maps that capture the most memorable regions of a given scene, predicting with a high degree of consistency human observer’s memory for the same images. These maps are hypothesized to correlate with a mental framework of knowledge employed by humans to encode visual memories. In this study, we develop a generative model we term ‘MEMGAN’ constrained by extracted visual memory schemas that generates completely new complex scene images that vary based on their degree of predicted memorability. The generated populations of high and low memorability images are then evaluated for their memorability using a human observer experiment. We gather VMS maps for these generated images from participants in the memory experiment and compare these with the intended target VMS maps. Following the evaluation of observers’ memory performance through both VMS-defined memorability and hit rate, we find significantly superior memory performance by human observers for the highly memorable generated images compared to poorly memorable. Implementing and testing a construct from cognitive science allows us to generate images whose memorability we can manipulate at will, as well as providing a tool for further study of mental schemas in humans.

Crime-Related scenarios do not lead to superior memory performance in the survival processing paradigm

ABSTRACT Processing information according to its survival value improves memory retention. We used mass-testing across three experiments to examine whether the survival processing advantage could be extended to crime-related contexts when adopting both offender’s (Experiment 1 and 2) and victim’s (Experiment 3) perspectives. Interestingly, crime-related scenarios produced the lowest memory retention in Experiments 2 and 3, indicating no mnemonic benefit resulting from crime-related processing. Furthermore, in Experiments 1 and 2, we failed to replicate the standard survival processing effect, while in Experiment 3 the superior survival memory retention emerged in comparison with the standard control conditions (i.e., moving and pleasantness). Overall, our experiments showed that crime-related contexts did not lead to superior memory retention. Moreover, although we detected some failures to replicate the survival processing effect, this evidence is not sufficiently compelling to argue that there was a general absence of the survival processing advantage.

The contribution of memory to differences in situation awareness in expert and non-expert drivers

Situation awareness (SA) is knowing what is going on in the environment: identifying objects, understanding how they interact and predicting future events. It is important in the context of driving as it is related to hazard perception. Driving-related SA may help explain expert drivers’ superior driving skill, but it is important to understand whether this is because expert drivers have better memory for driving-related tasks, whether superior memory performance is task specific, and the degree to which any effect is attributable to experience vs. expertise. On-road paramedics were compared with non-expert drivers. The participants engaged in an SA driving task where they were required to describe a vide taped driving situation after the screen cut to black. We measured their SA, memory and demographic driving variables. The starting SA of World, Action and Schema was re-developed to better reflect driving SA, into World, Action, Other-Agent Action, Projection, and Rationale. Driving expertise predicted each category of SA, except the Action category, independently of other experience variables. Similarly, expertise also predicted SA categories independently of any of the memory tasks. We concluded that expert drivers have better driving-SA than non-expert drivers and this is not due to better memory for driving tasks, or ‘time-on-road’. This finding is important in driver training because if we can harness the SA skills that expert drivers demonstrate, we could potentially implement them in better driver training programs.