Executive dysfunction in a survival environment

Porter, Heather L.; Leach, John

doi:10.1002/acp.1542

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 46 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…That is, problems whose solutions involved survival-related information were more readily primed by false memories than problems whose solutions involved neutral information and these effects were developmentally invariant. These results provide compelling evidence that false memories could have evolved to be as adaptive as true memories and that, like Porter and Leach (2010) have speculated, these problems are more easily primed because survival information affords a more rapid and enhanced access to information in memory, information that is necessary for insight-based problem solving.…”

Section: False Memories From Survival Processingmentioning

confidence: 60%

See 1 more Smart Citation

False memories from survival processing make better primes for problem-solving

Garner

Howe

2013

Memory

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This is the accepted version of the paper.This version of the publication may differ from the final published version. Permanent repository link AbstractPrevious research has demonstrated that participants remember significantly more survivalrelated information and more information that is processed for its survival relevance. Recent research has also shown that survival materials and processing result in more false memories, ones that are adaptive inasmuch as they prime solutions to insight-based problems.Importantly, false memories for survival-related information facilitate problem solving more than false memories for other types of information. The present study explores this survival advantage using an incidental rather than intentional memory task. Here, participants rated information either in the context of its importance to survival-processing scenario or to moving to a new house. Following this, participants solved a number of compound remote associate tasks (CRATs), half of which had the solution primed by false memories that were generated during the processing task. Results showed that (a) CRATs were primed by false memories in this incidental task, with participants solving significantly more CRATs when primed than when unprimed, (b) this effect was greatest when participants rated items for survival than moving, and (c) processing items for a survival scenario improved overall problem solving performance even when specific problems themselves were not primed.Results are discussed with regard to adaptive theories of memory.

show abstract

Section: False Memories From Survival Processingmentioning

confidence: 60%

“…By this account, increased spreading activation caused by survival processing will be more rapid and efficient, providing enhanced access to both true and false memories during later problem solving (e.g. Porter & Leach, 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

False memories from survival processing make better primes for problem-solving

Garner

Howe

2013

Memory

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…It is clear that these effects are not due to differences in problem difficulty as we intentionally equated this dimension across neutral and survival CRAT problems. Perhaps, as Porter and Leach (2010) have speculated, these problems are more easily primed because survival information, both true and false, affords a more rapid and enhanced access to information in memory, information that is necessary for insight-based problem solving. Indeed, that spreading activation of information is enhanced when remembering or reasoning about information in a survival-related context may be important to adaptation and may well represent a critical evolutionary trait.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Howe and Derbish (2010;Howe, 2011) suggested that correlated increases in true and false memory rates for survival information arise because such information is more densely represented in memory, making spreading activation to related concepts (including list themes) more rapid and efficient, something that might have adaptive value. One such advantage might be the ability to solve problems more rapidly given enhanced access to information in memory in a survival-related context, something that may be a crucial evolutionary trait (see Porter & Leach, 2010).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Positive Consequences of False Memories

Howe

Garner

Patel

2013

Behavioral Sci & The Law

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This is the accepted version of the paper.This version of the publication may differ from the final published version. Behavioral Sciences and the Law Do not quote without authors' permission Abstract Previous research is replete with examples of the negative consequences of false memories. In the current research, we provide a different perspective on false memories and their development and demonstrate that false memories can have positive consequences. Specifically, we examined the role false memories play in subsequent problem-solving tasks. Children and adults studied and recalled neutral or survival-relevant lists of associated words. They then solved age-normed compound remote associates, some of whose solutions had been primed by false memories created when studying the previous lists. The results showed that regardless of age: (a) survivalrelated words were not only better recollected but were also more susceptible than neutral words to false memory illusions and (b) survival-related false memories were better than neutral false memories as primes for problem solving. These findings are discussed in the context of recent speculation concerning the positive consequences of false memories, and the adaptive nature of reconstructive memory. Permanent repository link:

show abstract

“…Cognitive function is also hindered under these conditions. Specifically, individuals exposed to 4 days of simulated 'aircraft down' had significant impairments in planning and selective attention (incongruent form of Stroop test) (Porter and Leach 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mood and selective attention in the cold: the effect of interval versus continuous exercise

et al. 2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Both mood and cognitive function are altered in cold environments. Body warming through exercise may improve Stroop interference score and lessen total negative mood. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of equal caloric bouts of interval (INT) and continuous (CONT) exercise on mood and selective attention in the cold. Eleven young men underwent two experimental trials in 5°C air. Both trials consisted of 90 min acute cold exposure (ACE), 30 min exercise (INT vs. CONT), and 60 min recovery (REC). The Profile of Mood States (POMS) and Stroop Color Word Test (SCWT) were administered at four time points. Mean body temperature decreased during ACE, increased during exercise, and decreased during REC. Repeated measures analysis of variance revealed a main effect for time for several of the POMS sub scores. In particular, negative mood was significantly decreased after exercise relative to ACE and then significantly increased during REC. Further, CONT appears to be more effective than INT at decreasing negative mood. Components of the SCWT supported both the arousal and distraction theories for simple perception, but no significant effects were shown for the interference score. In the cold, exercise decreases negative mood but does not appear to affect selective attention. Further mechanistic studies could determine the best mode and intensity of exercise for improving cognitive function in the cold.

show abstract

Executive dysfunction in a survival environment

Cited by 12 publications

References 46 publications

False memories from survival processing make better primes for problem-solving

False memories from survival processing make better primes for problem-solving

Positive Consequences of False Memories

Mood and selective attention in the cold: the effect of interval versus continuous exercise

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About