Self-referential encoding of source information in recollection memory

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 16; no. 4; p. e0248044
• Main Authors: Lawrence, Ross, Chai, Xiaoqian J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 15.04.2021; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Accuracy; Alliances; Biology and Life Sciences; Coding; Cognitive ability; Data analysis; Data collection; Decision analysis; Drafting software; Encoding (Memory); Human information processing; Laboratories; Medicine and Health Sciences; Memory; Neurology; Neurosurgery; Physical Sciences; Psychological research; Recollection (Psychology); Research and Analysis Methods; Semantics; Social Sciences; Young adults; United States
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248044

Information that is encoded in relation to the self has been shown to be better remembered, yet reports have disagreed on whether the memory benefit from self-referential encoding extends to source memory (the context in which information was learned). In this study, we investigated the self-referential effect on source memory in recollection and familiarity-based memory. Using a Remember/Know paradigm, we compared source memory accuracy under self-referential encoding and semantic encoding. Two types of source information were included, a "peripheral" source which was not inherent to the encoding activity, and a source information about the encoding context. We observed the facilitation in item memory from self-referential encoding compared to semantic encoding in recollection but not in familiarity-based memory. The self-referential benefit to source accuracy was observed in recollection memory, with source memory for the encoding context being stronger in the self-referential condition. No significant self-referential effect was observed with regards to peripheral source information (information not required for the participant to focus on), suggesting not all source information benefit from self-referential encoding. Self-referential encoding also resulted in a higher ratio of "Remember/Know" responses rate than semantically encoded items, denoting stronger recollection. These results suggest self-referential encoding creates a richer, more detailed memory trace which can be recollected later on.