The Influence of Object Relative Size on Priming and Explicit Memory

We investigated the effects of object relative size on priming and explicit memory for color photos of common objects. Participants were presented with color photos of pairs of objects displayed in either appropriate or inappropriate relative sizes. Implicit memory was assessed by speed of object size ratings whereas explicit memory was assessed by an old/new recognition test. Study-to-test changes in relative size reduced both priming and explicit memory and had large effects for objects displayed in large vs. small size at test. Our findings of substantial size-specific influences on priming with common objects under some but not other conditions are consistent with instance views of object perception and priming but inconsistent with structural description views

Explicit and implicit memory for new associations between familiar faces

grantor: University of TorontoAssociative memory for familiar faces was investigated in three experiments. Pairs of familiar faces were presented elaborative or nonelaborative encoding; memory for these pairs was tested by presenting old-intact pairs, old-recombined pairs, and pairs consisting of one or two new faces. Experiment 1 tested explicit memory for new associations and showed that recognition was best for the old-intact pairs under elaborative encoding conditions. On an implicit test of memory (Experiment 2), associative priming effects were not obtained despite using a familiarity judgment task similar to one that has produced associative priming effects with words (e.g. Goshen-Gottstein & Moscovitch, 1995a). Experiment 3 showed that the lack of associative priming could not be attributed to the nature of the familiarity judgment task as similar results were obtained when a face/nonface judgment task was used. It is proposed that the different associative priming effects obtained with the two types of stimuli may arise from differences in the modular perceptual representation systems for faces and words.M.A

Previous studies of object size effects on old/new recognition.

<p><i>Note.</i> LD = line drawings; PH = photographs; MExp = participants were given multiple exposures to objects during the study; MExp/TP = many identification trials followed by transfer block trials; NExp prior = participants were asked to read names of all objects prior to the experiment; − = nonsignificant size difference in opposite direction; + = nonsignificant but numerically larger size effect; ++ = significant size effect; n/i = results are not interpretable; CEs = ceiling effects.</p

The proportion of “old” decisions (hits for old items and false alarms for new items) on old/new recognition test for photos of objects, as a function of targets' relative size at test (small, large), study/test context (intact, recombined), study/test relative size condition (same, different size target, different size context), and history (studied, non-studied).

<p>Error bars denote 95% within-subject confidence intervals.</p

Examples of object pairs displayed in large vs. small relative size at test by various study conditions.

<p>Examples of object pairs displayed in large vs. small relative size at test by various study conditions.</p