Associations between performance-based and self-reported prospective memory, impulsivity and encoding support

Gladwin, Thomas Edward; Jewiss, Matt; Banic, Milena; Pereira, Antonina · 2020 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2020.103066

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Summary

This study investigates the relationships between prospective memory (PM), impulsivity, and encoding support, while also evaluating the psychometric properties of a computerized PM task. Prospective memory, the ability to execute intended future actions, is critical for daily functioning and is often linked to cognitive decline. The research addresses three primary questions: the association between PM and specific facets of impulsivity; the convergent validity of a performance-based PM task with self-reported PM; and whether external support for encoding improves PM performance or mitigates the impact of impulsivity. The authors argue that impulsive traits may impair PM by reducing the time and effort dedicated to encoding intentions, and they test whether strategic encoding support can ameliorate this effect. The experiment involved 245 participants recruited online via Amazon Mechanical Turk. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: a baseline PM task or an encoding support version. Both conditions utilized a computerized task combining an ongoing working memory task with PM trials. In the PM component, participants had to detect a specific "special number" that changed every block, preventing response automatization, and press a different key upon detection. The encoding support condition required participants to visualize and physically execute the PM response before each block to enhance encoding. Participants also completed the Prospective-Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ) for self-reported memory and the Short Version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (SUPPS) to assess five facets of impulsivity: negative urgency, lack of perseverance, lack of premeditation, sensation seeking, and positive urgency. Results indicated that the PM task demonstrated good reliability, with split-half reliability coefficients of .92 for accuracy in the baseline condition and .97 in the encoding support condition. PM performance was positively correlated with self-reported PM and explained unique variance beyond working memory performance, supporting the task’s convergent validity. In the baseline condition, PM accuracy was negatively associated with sensation seeking and positive urgency, suggesting that higher impulsivity in these domains correlates with poorer PM performance. However, these associations disappeared in the encoding support condition, where PM accuracy showed no significant correlations with impulsivity facets or self-reported PM. Notably, the encoding support manipulation did not significantly improve overall PM accuracy compared to the baseline condition. The findings provide evidence that specific facets of impulsivity, particularly sensation seeking and positive urgency, are linked to prospective memory deficits, likely due to insufficient encoding effort. The study validates the use of the computerized PM task as a reliable measure with good psychometric properties, offering a feasible tool for clinical and research settings. While encoding support did not enhance overall performance, it eliminated the negative impact of impulsivity on PM, suggesting that structured encoding strategies may help impulsive individuals maintain intended actions. These results underscore the importance of considering individual differences in impulsivity when assessing and supporting prospective memory functions.

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• prospective memory interruptions