The proposed research is designed to examine models of human memory and processes of retrieval from memory, and to provide empirical data to test and expand the models. the first models evaluated are global memory models that assume a test item presented for recognition contacts all of memory to determine an overall value of match by which to discriminate old from new test items. The second class of models is connectionist (neural-like) models and these assume that an item is distributed as a set of features and that there are multiple layers of features (e.g., input and output layers). The proposal describes hypothetical processes of recognition within a connectionist framework and demonstrates problems with the models in accounting for forgetting and learning. Alternative connectionist/neural schemes are proposed as ways of overcoming the problems. Other sections deal with empirical tests for both global memory models and the connectionist models, the time course of availability of different kinds of information, tests of a new view of priming phenomena, and extensions of reaction time models from two-choice to multiple-choice decisions. The proposed work is relevant to mental health because of its investigation of the neurally-inspired connectionist models which offer a new framework with which to view various sorts of brain damage such as amnesia resulting from Alzheimer's disease or Korsakoff's syndrome. Other proposed work will advance our understanding of reaction time models and measures, and therefore advance the future possible application of these techniques and measures to understanding brain deficits and diagnosing those deficits.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Scientist Development Award - Research (K02)
Project #
5K02MH000871-02
Application #
3070233
Study Section
Research Scientist Development Review Committee (MHK)
Project Start
1990-06-01
Project End
1995-05-31
Budget Start
1991-06-01
Budget End
1992-05-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1991
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Northwestern University at Chicago
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
City
Evanston
State
IL
Country
United States
Zip Code
60201
Gerrig, R J; McKoon, G (2001) Memory processes and experimental continuity. Psychol Sci 12:81-5
McKoon, G; Ratcliff, R (1998) Memory-based language processing: psycholinguistic research in the 1990s. Annu Rev Psychol 49:25-42
Ratcliff, R; McKoon, G (1997) A counter model for implicit priming in perceptual word identification. Psychol Rev 104:319-43
Ratcliff, R; Allbritton, D; McKoon, G (1997) Bias in auditory priming. J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn 23:143-52
McKoon, G; Ratcliff, R (1996) Separating implicit from explicit retrieval processes in perceptual identification. Conscious Cogn 5:500-11;discussion 512-24
Balakrishnan, J D; Ratcliff, R (1996) Testing models of decision making using confidence ratings in classification. J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform 22:615-33
McKoon, G; Allbritton, D; Ratcliff, R (1996) Sentential context effects on lexical decisions with a cross-modal instead of an all-visual procedure. J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn 22:1494-7
Allbritton, D W; McKoon, G; Ratcliff, R (1996) Reliability of prosodic cues for resolving syntactic ambiguity. J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn 22:714-35
Ratcliff, R; McKoon, G (1996) Bias effects in implicit memory tasks. J Exp Psychol Gen 125:403-21
Ratcliff, R; McKoon, G (1995) Bias in the priming of object decisions. J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn 21:754-67

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