Encoding and inhibition of arbitrary episodic context with abstract concepts
Date
2022Author
Davis, Charles P.
Paz-Alonso, Pedro M.
Altmann, Gerry T. M.
Yee, Eiling
Metadata
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Davis, C.P., Paz-Alonso, P.M., Altmann, G.T.M. et al. Encoding and inhibition of arbitrary episodic context with abstract concepts. Mem Cogn 50, 546–563 (2022). https://doi.org/10.3758/s13421-021-01212-y
Memory & Cognition
Memory & Cognition
Abstract
Context is critical for conceptual processing, but the mechanism underpinning its encoding and reinstantiation during abstract
concept processing is unclear. Context may be especially important for abstract concepts—we investigated whether episodic
context is recruited differently when processing abstract compared with concrete concepts. Experiments 1 and 2 presented abstract
and concrete words in arbitrary contexts at encoding (Experiment 1: red/green colored frames; Experiment 2: male/female voices).
Recognition memory for these contexts was worse for abstract concepts. Again using frame color and voice as arbitrary contexts,
respectively, Experiments 3 and 4 presented words from encoding in the same or different context at test to determine whether there
was a greater recognition memory benefit for abstract versus concrete concepts when the context was unchanged between encoding
and test. Instead, abstract concepts were less likely to be remembered when context was retained. This suggests that at least some
types of episodic context—when arbitrary—are attended less, and may even be inhibited, when processing abstract concepts. In
Experiment 5, we utilized a context—spatial location—which (as we show) tends to be relevant during real-world processing of
abstract concepts.We presented words in different locations, preserving or changing location at test. Location retention conferred a
recognitionmemory advantage for abstract concepts. Thus, episodic context may be encoded with abstract concepts when context is
relevant to real-world processing. The systematic contexts necessary for understanding abstract concepts may lead to arbitrary
context inhibition, but greater attention to contexts that tend to be more relevant during real-world processing.