Context-dependent memory effects in two immersive virtual reality environments: On Mars and underwater
Abstract
The context-dependent memory effect, in which memory for an item is better when the retrieval context matches the original learning context, has proved to be difficult to reproduce in a laboratory setting. In an effort to identify a set of features that generate a robust context-dependent memory effect, we developed a paradigm in virtual reality using two semantically distinct virtual contexts: underwater and Mars environments, each with a separate body of knowledge (schema) associated with it. We show that items are better recalled when retrieved in the same context as the study context; we also show that the size of the effect is larger for items deemed context-relevant at encoding, suggesting that context-dependent memory effects may depend on items being integrated into an active schema.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Nov 17, 2020
- Source ID
- 10.3758/s13423-020-01835-3
Entities
People
- Kenneth A. Norman
- Neggin Keshavarzian
- Riya Dáve
- Rolando Masís-obando
- Yeon Soon Shin
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research