The effects of causal knowledge on college students' memory for an observed event.

摘要

Although there is ample evidence that domain-related knowledge is correlated with memory performance, it has not been demonstrated that increases in knowledge lead directly to enhanced recall (DeMarie-Dreblow, 1991). This investigation proceeded from the assumption that the organization of knowledge, rather than simply the presence of information in an event representation, is critical in affecting memory (Collins and Quillian, 1972). Causal knowledge, explaining how or why features of an event occur, should establish enabling relations between formally disparate items in memory, resulting in the activation of additional items when one component of an event is recalled. Further, such knowledge should reduce suggestibility by affecting the plausibility of misleading probes (Pezdek and Hodge, 1999).; These hypotheses were tested by examining the effects of alternative types of knowledge on 66 college students' memory for a videotaped Magic Show in which the “tricks” represented the operation of static electricity. Participants in the Causal Knowledge condition attended a lecture on static electricity directed at linking discrete components of the Magic Show. Students in the Domain Knowledge Condition were presented similar information without providing the basis for linking features of the event. Those in the Control Knowledge Condition attended an unrelated lecture that was similar in length and format.; One week later, participants viewed a videotape depicting a wizard who performed a magic show involving a number of static electricity demonstrations, as well as, several actions unrelated to static electricity. Participants were interviewed about the actions depicted in the video immediately and again 4 weeks later. Both interviews proceeded from general to specific prompts and included questions about actions that did not transpire.; As expected, scores on a knowledge test given after the last interview were significantly greater for the participants in the Causal Knowledge condition than for those in the remaining two groups, confirming the efficacy of the instruction. Consistent with predictions, the participants in the Causal Knowledge group recalled more information overall and correctly rejected more misleading questions related to static electricity than those in the other conditions. The results suggest that knowledge directed at establishing direct links between items of an event and enhancing the organization of one's memory representation can affect memory performance.