The effects of distraction during memory retrieval on the probability of recall and precision of memoranda

Official URL: https://risc01.sabanciuniv.edu/record=b2748997_(Table of contents)

Long-term memory (LTM) enables the encoding, storage, and retrieval of memories for extended durations. While divided attention has resulted in decrements in encoding to LTM, it has minimal or no effect on retrieval performance. The present study examined the possibility that the precision of representations may be more susceptible to detrimental effects of divided attention during retrieval by using the continuous report paradigm. Participants (N = 20) learned 180 object-orientation associations and retrieved those orientations under full or divided attention conditions. Mixture modeling fit on error distribution has shown that accessibility of representations was lower in the divided attention compared to full attention condition, with no difference in their precision. These results suggest that dividing attention during retrieval reduces the accessibility of memoranda while not affecting the precision of representations.