Automatization and familiarity in repeated checking: A replication

Abstract

Repetitive, compulsive-like checking of an object leads to reductions in memory confidence, vividness, and detail. Experimental research suggests that this is caused by increased familiarity with perceptual characteristics of the stimulus and automatization of the checking procedure (Dek, van den Hout, Giele, & Engelhard, 2014). This suggests that defamiliarization by modifying perceptual characteristics of the stimulus will result in de-automatization and attenuation of the meta-memory effects. However, this was not found (Dek et al., 2014), but the manipulation may have been too weak. In two experiments, the present investigation examined whether modification of the defamiliarization procedure (i.e., enlarging the amount of color alterations of the stimuli) would result in de-automatization and attenuation of the metamemory effects. Undergraduates performed a checking task, in which they activated, deactivated , and checked stimuli. Meta-memory was rated after a pre-and post-test checking trial. Simultaneously, automatization of checking was measured with a reaction time task during the pre-and post-test checking trial. In the reaction time task participants responded as quickly as possible to tones. In both experiments, perseverative checking reduced memory confidence, vividness, and detail, and led to automatization of checking behavior. In Experiment I, moderate defamiliarization led to de-automatization, but did not attenuate meta-memory effects of checking. In Experiment II, strong defamiliarization did not lead to de-automatization, but did reduce the detrimental effects of rechecking on memory confidence and vividness. This research suggests that automatization is a potential mechanism underlying the paradoxical phenomenon of perseveration leading to memory uncertainty.

Perseveration causes automatization of checking behavior in obsessive-compulsive disorder

“…Data on the RT task indicated that repeated relevant checking led to significant pre-to-post-test reductions in RT, whereas irrelevant checking did not (cf. Dek et al, 2015). In sum, repeated relevant checking led to automatization of checking behavior, but the specificity of this effect was only evident on the dual RT task, and OCD patients did not differ from non-clinical controls in the automatization pattern.…”

“…Although our 'moderate' defamiliarization procedure did lead to partial de-automatization (cf. Experiment I by Dek et al, 2015), the perceptual modification might not have been distinct enough to attenuate the detrimental meta-memory effects of re-checking. Dek et al (2015) demonstrated that 'strong defamiliarization' does attenuate the negative meta-memory effects of repeated checking.…”

“…Dek et al, 2014Dek et al, , 2015 before the checking task (RIR training phase, RIR Only baseline measure), and during the checking task (RIR pre-test, RIR post-test). In the RIR task, beeps were presented at a pitch of 250 Hz, for a maximum duration of 200 ms, with random intervals (range: 2.5e5 s).…”

“…They found that repeated checking of perceptually altered stimuli attenuates the negative effects of repeated checking on memory confidence, vividness, and detail. In a recent study, Dek et al (2015) altered the color of the stimuli and knobs instead of the background color ('moderate defamiliarization'), and increased the amount of color alterations of the stimuli ('strong defamiliarization'). They demonstrated that moderate defamiliarization resulted in partial de-automatization: defamiliarization reduced efficiency on the secondary RT task, but not check durations.…”

“…Because the pre-to-post-test reductions in RT on the secondary task did not differ between the conditions, replication was required in order to make definite inferences about automatization of checking behavior. Subsequently, Dek, van den Hout, Giele, and Engelhard (2015) conducted two replication experiments, and found that relevant checking, compared to irrelevant checking, reduced check duration and RTs which indicates automatization of checking behavior. In sum, repeated checking leads to automatization in non-clinical samples.…”