Imagery processing in action memory–mental imagery is necessary to the subject-performed task effect

ABSTRACT

The generation of the subject-performed task (SPT) effect in action memory involves multiple factors, including imagery processing, but its role is unclear. This study uses event-related potential (ERP) technology to explore it in the SPT effect by controlling different encoding types (performance encoding with open eyes or closed eyes, imagery encoding, verbal encoding). Behavioural results showed that the correct rate of recognition under the first three conditions was significantly larger than it for verbal encoding, and there was an SPT effect. The ERP and behavioural results were consistent, and the SPT effect was also found, indicating that the effect could be caused by both performance and imagery encoding. At the Cz electrode site, performance and imagery encoding both induced larger late positive components than verbal encoding. This late positive component could indicate that imagery processing improves memory performance. This study showed that the imagery processing is necessary to the SPT effect.

KEYWORDS:

• Action memory
• imagery encoding
• performance encoding
• verbal encoding
• subject-performed task effect

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number 31371022).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The retrieval-practice paradigm usually includes three stages: the study phase, retrieval-practice phase, and final test phase. First, in the study phase, category-item pairing associations are used such that the subjects learn a series of category-item word pairs (for example, fruits: oranges, apples, bananas, grapes). Then, in the retrieval-practice stage, the subjects are usually presented with category names (fruits) and partial words as retrieval clues, and they are required to perform retrieval exercises with half of the words in half of the categories based on the retrieval clues. For example, presenting the subjects with “fruits: oran_, appl_” requires them to complete the missing words (the correct answers are oranges and apples) based on what they learned in the study phase. After completing the retrieval-practice phase, subjects are presented with a distracting interference task. Finally, in the testing phase, the subjects are usually required to perform category clue recall tests on all previously learned category-item words.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 31371022].