¿Se modifica el efecto del olvido inducido al cambiar las características físicas de los estímulos? Un estudio con potenciales evocados

Abstract

The aim of this work is to analyse the behavioral and electrophysiological effects of directed forgetting in a recognition memory test by using the word method. The possible influence on these effects of changing physical features of the items from study phase to test phase has been also studied. Directed forgetting effects were only found when items in the test phase matched physical features of those in the study phase. These effects consisted of a decrease in accuracy level as well as an enhancement of both reaction time and P250 wave for the forget-words as compared to the remember-words. In contrast, in the physical mismatching condition only the accuracy measures were affected by the forget manipulation. These results can not be only explained from the diferential rehearsal view. They rather suggest that, in the study phase, items are codified conjointly with their instruction. Any change of physical features or response requirement when items are again presented would provoke a conflict which would increase both the reaction time and the P250 wave.