The Influence Of Similarity To The Source Memory Retrieval Phase

Episodic memory is consisted of source memory and item memory. And the process of retrieval of source memory has always been the focus. It has been found that retrieval of source memory information need to be modulated by the control process. As it is difficult for behavior study to explore the interior cognitive control, researchers began to use ERP technology to study physiological mechanism of retrieval phrase of source memory. But now some studies have found the ERP pattern of control on source recollection, while some have not. As a result, it is still unknown what factor influences the process of control on source recollection. Our studies used ERP technology to investigate the neurophysiologic mechanism of retrieval phrase of source memory, and to investigate the influence of similarity on control of recollection in retrieval phrase of source memory by two experiments. The first experiment used source memory exclusion tasks with Chinese words and pictures as items and source information, to investigate the influence of similarity between sources on recollection control; the second also used exclusion tasks, with Chinese words and space position as sources, to investigate the influence of similarity between items on recollection control. We mainly found as follows:(1) In the first experiment, it revealed that the left-parietal ERP old/new effects were reliable in targets and similar non-targets only, while the dissimilar non-targets not. This finding supports the view that participant can control the recollection of extra-source information. But Lhe control process will be suppressed when the retrieved contexts are similar.(2) The early N400old/new effects indexed the item memory, but the item memory was not influenced by the recollection control. The prefrontal old/new effect was related to the assessment of retrieved information. When the recollection task is difficult, the assessment of retrieved information will happen at the same time with retrieval.(3) In the second experiment, it revealed that no matter the meaning of items were similar to target-items or not, correctly recognized targets and non-targets ail elited parietal old/new effects. But the degree of old/new effect deduced for non-targets items than target items. It is revealed that similarity of concepts of items does not influence the control on source retrieval.