Influences of Perceptual Fluency on Explicit Testing of Recognition Memory

准确识别以前学过的信息的能力是人类成功的关键。这种能力依赖于一套复杂的大脑机制。传统上，人类记忆被细分为具有检索意识的记忆，即外显记忆和没有检索意识的记忆，即内隐记忆。令人惊讶的是，一个人在没有明确的熟悉感或记忆的情况下，有可能在记忆测试中做出高精度的反应。在美国国家科学基金会（National Science Foundation）的支持下，西北大学（Northwestern University）的肯·帕勒（Ken Paller）博士和他的同事将描述隐性识别可能发生的情况。当人们对自己的记忆没有信心时，就会发现内隐识别，而外显记忆则表现出相反的模式。内隐识别对于在信息处理受到严重限制的条件下学习的刺激更强，即使这些条件导致外显记忆非常差。当人们进行记忆测试时，通过将电极放在头皮上记录大脑活动，帕勒博士将研究哪些特定的大脑电位与内隐记忆有关，哪些与外显记忆有关。本研究结果将为内隐记忆和外显记忆的机制以及这两种机制如何驱动准确的记忆判断提供新的信息。本研究项目将为认知神经科学的本科生、研究生和博士后提供培训机会。具体的研究结果预计将被广泛传播，并将导致许多关于外显和内隐记忆如何影响日常行为的见解。这些知识对于增强我们在课堂上、在法庭上、在获得各种认知技能以及在人际交往中对学习和记忆的理解将是重要的。这项工作还将有助于为因衰老或神经系统疾病而记忆困难的人制定康复策略。

The ability to accurately recognize information that was previously learned is central to human success. This ability relies on a complex set of brain mechanisms. Traditionally, human memory is subdivided into memory with awareness of retrieval, or explicit memory, and memory without awareness of retrieval, or implicit memory. Surprisingly, it is possible for a person to respond with high accuracy on a memory test in the absence of explicit feelings of familiarity or remembering. With support from the National Science Foundation, Dr. Ken Paller and colleagues at Northwestern University will characterize the circumstances under which implicit recognition is possible. Implicit recognition is found when people have negligible confidence about their memory, whereas explicit memory shows the reverse pattern. Implicit recognition is stronger for stimuli that are learned under conditions that place severe limitations on information processing, even though these conditions lead to very poor explicit memory. By recording brain activity from electrodes placed on the scalp while people perform memory tests, Dr. Paller will investigate which specific brain potentials are associated with implicit memory and which are associated with explicit memory. The results of this research will provide new information about mechanisms of implicit and explicit memory and about how both types of mechanism can drive accurate memory judgments.This research project will provide training opportunities for undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral trainees in cognitive neuroscience. Specific findings are expected to be disseminated widely and will lead to numerous insights into how explicit and implicit memory influences everyday behavior. Such knowledge will be important for enhancing our understanding of learning and memory in the classroom, in a court of law, in the acquisition of various cognitive skills, and in interpersonal interactions. The work will also aid efforts to devise rehabilitation strategies for people with memory difficulties due to aging or neurological disorders.