The effect of recent reminder setting on subsequent strategy and performance in a prospective memory task

Scarampi, Chiara; Gilbert, Sam J. · 2020 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2020.1764974

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Summary

This study investigates the consequences of cognitive offloading—specifically, the use of external reminders—on subsequent unaided memory performance and strategic decision-making in prospective memory tasks. Motivated by rapid technological advancements that facilitate storing information externally rather than internally, the authors address two fundamental questions: whether prior reliance on external aids impairs or improves future unaided memory ability, and whether previous experience with offloading influences the likelihood of choosing that strategy in the future. The research contrasts the “use it or lose it” hypothesis, which predicts impaired subsequent performance due to reduced practice, with the “ego depletion” hypothesis, which suggests improved performance due to conserved cognitive resources. The researchers conducted three pre-registered online experiments using a web-based intention-offloading task. Participants were instructed to drag numbered circles in ascending order while remembering to drag specific target circles to alternative locations upon reaching their number. An arithmetic verification task served as a distractor to increase cognitive load. In Experiment 1, participants were randomly assigned to either a “Forced Reminders” condition, where they had to set external cues for targets, or a “No Reminders” condition, relying solely on internal memory. Both groups then performed a second phase of the task without the option to set reminders. Experiments 2 and 3 followed a similar design but allowed participants in the second phase to freely choose whether to use reminders or rely on internal memory. Data were analyzed using frequentist and Bayesian statistical methods to assess target accuracy and the proportion of targets for which external reminders were set. The results indicated that while setting reminders significantly improved performance during the phase in which they were used, prior cognitive offloading had little to no significant effect on subsequent unaided memory ability. Bayesian analyses provided strong evidence against the hypothesis that offloading improves subsequent unaided performance and only anecdotal evidence against the hypothesis that it impairs it. However, prior offloading had a substantial impact on strategic choices. In Experiments 2 and 3, participants who were forced to use reminders in the first phase were significantly more likely to choose to set reminders in the subsequent phase compared to those who relied on internal memory initially. This effect was robust, with extreme Bayesian evidence supporting the hypothesis that prior reminder use increases the likelihood of future reminder use. Furthermore, reminder setting in the second phase positively predicted accuracy, regardless of the initial condition. These findings suggest that the short-term impact of cognitive offloading is primarily behavioral rather than cognitive. Prior use of external aids does not significantly alter basic memory processes or unaided performance capabilities in the immediate term. Instead, it strongly influences strategic decision-making, creating a habit-like propensity to reuse external offloading strategies even when they are optional. This implies that the integration of technology into memory tasks may lead to persistent reliance on external tools, potentially altering how individuals approach future memory demands without necessarily degrading their underlying unaided memory capacity.

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• prospective memory interruptions