Competitive Semantic Memory Retrieval: Temporal Dynamics Revealed by Event-Related Potentials.

ABSTRACT: Memories compete for retrieval when they are related to a common retrieval cue. Previous research has shown that retrieval of a target memory may lead to subsequent retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) of currently irrelevant competing memories. In the present study, we investigated the time course of competitive semantic retrieval and examined the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying RIF. We contrasted two theoretical accounts of RIF by examining a critical aspect of this memory phenomenon, namely the extent to which it depends on successful retrieval of the target memory. Participants first studied category-exemplar word-pairs (e.g. Fruit-Apple). Next, we recorded electrophysiological measures of brain activity while the participants performed a competitive semantic cued-recall task. In th

SUBMITTER: Hellerstedt R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4762689 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature