Source-constrained recall: Front-end and back-end control of retrieval quality

Vered Halamish, Morris Goldsmith, Larry L. Jacoby

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Research on the strategic regulation of memory accuracy has focused primarily on monitoring and control processes used to edit out incorrect information after it is retrieved (back-end control). Recent studies, however, suggest that rememberers also enhance accuracy by preventing the retrieval of incorrect information in the first place (front-end control). The present study put forward and examined a mechanism called source-constrained recall (cf. Jacoby, Shimizu, Velanova, & Rhodes, 2005) by which rememberers process and use recall cues in qualitatively different ways, depending on the manner of original encoding. Results of 2 experiments in which information about source encoding depth was made available at test showed that when possible, participants constrained recall to the solicited targets by reinstating the original encoding operations on the recall cues. This reinstatement improved the quality of the information that came to mind, which, together with improved postretrieval monitoring, enhanced actual recall performance.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-15
Number of pages15
JournalJournal of Experimental Psychology: Learning Memory and Cognition
Volume38
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2012

Keywords

  • Memory
  • Metacognition
  • Recall accuracy
  • Source-constrained retrieval

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
  • Language and Linguistics
  • Linguistics and Language

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