A behavioural and ERP investigation of the wearable camera photo review in autobiographical memory

Abstract

Wearable camera photo review has successfully been used to enhance memory, yet very little is known about the underlying mechanisms. Here, the sequential presentation of wearable camera photosa key feature of wearable camera photo reviewis examined using behavioural and EEG measures. Twelve female participants were taken on a walking tour, stopping at a series of predefined targets, while wearing a camera that captured photographs automatically. A sequence of four photos leading to these targets was selected (∼ 200 trials) and together with control photos, these were used in a recognition task one week later. Participants' recognition performance improved with the sequence of photos (measured in hit rates, correct rejections, & sensitivity), revealing for the first time, a positive effect of sequence of photos in wearable camera photo review. This has important implications for understanding the sequential and cumulative effects of cues on episodic remembering. An old-new ERP effect was also observed over visual regions for hits vs. correct rejections, highlighting the importance of visual processing not only for perception but also for the location of activated memory representations.

The formation of episodic autobiographical memory is predicted by mental imagery, self-reference, and anticipated details

“…For instance, studies have used smartphones ( Foudil et al, 2021 ), 360° videos ( Serino and Repetto, 2018 ), and real-life photographs with a digital camera ( Pathman et al, 2011 ). Another noteworthy example of this kind of paradigms uses wearable cameras to record features of real-life events, either during a specified walk ( Jeunehomme and D'Argembeau, 2019 ; Khachatoorian et al, 2021 ) or during their day-to-day activities ( Mair et al, 2017 ; Gelonch et al, 2020 ). Wearable cameras are small devices, often worn around the neck, that capture still images of the surrounding environment from the wearer’s perspective.…”

“…Despite some challenges regarding image quality, events’ sorting and qualifying as well as participant compliance and attention during recorded events, wearable cameras have already been successfully adapted to assess the nature of memories with the Remember/Know paradigm ( Tulving (1985) ; see for instance Khachatoorian et al (2021) ). Furthermore, wearable cameras have already allowed to draw interesting conclusions regarding EM functioning.…”