Effects of instructions and cue subjectiveness on specificity of autobiographical memory recall

Authors

  • Jorge J. Ricarte-Trives Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Psicología Universidad de Castilla La Mancha Avda. Almansa 14 02006-Albacete
  • José M. Latorre Universidad de Castilla La Mancha
  • Laura Ros Universidad de Castilla La Mancha
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.30.3.141282
Keywords: Autobiographical memory, Subjectiveness, Instructions, Specificity

Supporting Agencies

  • This study has been supported by the Regional Government of Castilla La Mancha [Consejería de Educación y Ciencia de Castilla La Mancha
  • grant PII1I09-0274-8863] and the Ministry of Science and Innovation [Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
  • grant PSI2010

Abstract

The first aim of this study was to determine the power of instructions on the specificity of autobiographical memory as obtained with the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT; Williams & Broadbent, 1986) and the efficacy of cue word criteria selection based on subjective parameters obtained with a standardized lexical program. Results showed a high power of specific instructions in its written version in contrast to non-directed memory recall to the same list of words three weeks later in a counterbalanced repeated measures within-subjects design. This effect was stronger when subjects previously were faced to the non-specific recovery task. Matched word lists using the “Buscapalabras” program (Davis & Perea, 2005) showed a very similar behaviour. These results point out that the same stimuli can be used repeatedly to obtain voluntary and involuntary retrieval with changes at instructional level. Additionally, standardized lexical programs can be employed to adapt cue-words of memory recall systems controlling for subjective differences related to language parameters (frequency, imageability and familiarity).

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Author Biographies

Jorge J. Ricarte-Trives, Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Psicología Universidad de Castilla La Mancha Avda. Almansa 14 02006-Albacete

Profesor Asociado, Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Medicina de Albacete

José M. Latorre, Universidad de Castilla La Mancha

Profesor Titular, Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Medicina de Albacete

Laura Ros, Universidad de Castilla La Mancha

Profesora Ayudante Doctora, Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Medicina de Albacete
Published
12-08-2014
How to Cite
Ricarte-Trives, J. J., Latorre, J. M., & Ros, L. (2014). Effects of instructions and cue subjectiveness on specificity of autobiographical memory recall. Anales de Psicología / Annals of Psychology, 30(3), 1129–1136. https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.30.3.141282
Issue
Section
Basic Psychology