Collaborative impression formation and recall of impression-relevant information

Abstract

The present research examines how the match between encoding and recall contexts influences recall performance. Memory research has shown that recall performance can be impaired when a subset of the studied stimuli is presented at recall (the part-set cuing effect) or when the recall process is carried out in a collaborative way (collaborative inhibition effect). In 4 experiments we manipulated the degree of match between item organization at encoding and at retrieval, either by manipulating: the organization of part-set cues (exp. 1); the organization of the information provided at encoding to participants of the same collaborative recall sessions (exp. 2); or the nature of the encoding conditions (collaborative vs. non-collaborative; exp. 3 and 4). Results stress the parallel between both effects showing that mismatching encoding organization cues provided at test (by the experimenter or by other collaborative group members), impair recall considerably when compared to no cues or matching encoding organization cues. We present a theoretical account for the reported result pattern - the principle of associative recapitulation.