Spontaneous Retrieval Processes In Prospective Memory: Salient Target Cues

The preparatory attentional and memory processes theory of prospective memory (PM) assumes that PM retrieval requires resource-demanding preparatory attentional processes,whereas the multiprocess theory assumes that retrieval can also occur spontaneously.By performing an embedded prospective memory task, participants had longer response times on events of ongoing task (task interference effect),the preparatory attentional and memory processes theory assumes that prospective memory retrieval are always necessary for prospective memory retrieval, even when the PM cue was highly salient(Smith, Hunt, McVay,& McConnell,2007).We argue that the presence of preparatory attentional processes cannot be used to rule out the existence of spontaneous retrieval processes.To examine whether PM retrieval can occur in the absence of preparatory attentional processes,the current study manipulates respectively a perceptually salient target event and a semantically salient target event in two experiments.By increasing the duration of the ongoing task, emphasizing the importance of performing the ongoing task,and conducting more fine-grained analyses of task interference effect throughout the ongoing task,the present study expected that task interference effect would be significantly reduced,or completely eliminated(as indexed by significant task interference effect). The current study will observe the prospective memory performance under the two kind of cue when task interference effect is not (or minimally) engaged. Our results showed no evidence of task interference and, hence, no evidence of preparatory attentional processes in the periods proximal to the target event, and yet participants with salient target event showed high prospective memory performance,and prospective memory performance was much greater when a cue was salient than when the cue was not salient.The research conclusions are as follows:1) The prospective memory task interference effect was significantly reduced (if not completely eliminated) following several hundred trials with ongoing task.2) The results suggest the existence of spontaneous retrieval processes and support the multiprocess theory.3) The salience of target cue is one of factors determining what kind of processes for PM.participants with salient target is more likely dependent on spontaneous retrieval processes for successful prospective memory performance.