Process dissociation of familiarity and recollection in children: Response deadline affects recollection but not familiarity

Koenig, Laura; Wimmer, Marina C.; Hollins, Timothy J.

Abstract

According to dual-process theories, recollection (slow and associated with contextual details) and familiarity (fast and automatic) are two independent processes underlying recognition memory. An adapted version of the process dissociation paradigm was used to measure recognition memory in 5-, 7-, and 11-year-olds and adults. In Experiment 1, it was found that 5-year-olds already recollect details of items (i.e., number). Recollection increased particularly between 5 and 7 years. Familiarity differed between 5 years and adulthood. In Experiment 2, under limited response time during retrieval, recollection was eliminated in 5-year-olds and reduced across all ages, whereas familiarity was left unaffected. Together, these findings are consistent with dual-process theories of recognition memory and provide support for two processes underlying recognition memory from a developmental perspective.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 15, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Dec 26, 2014
• Publication Date: 2015
• Deposit Date: May 4, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: May 5, 2020
• Journal: Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
• Print ISSN: 0022-0965
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 131
• Pages: 120-134
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2014.11.003
• Keywords: Recognition memory; Familiarity; Recollection; Process dissociation; Source monitoring; Dual-process theory
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2657546