Assumptions behind scoring source versus item memory: Effects of age, hippocampal lesions and mild memory problems

• DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2017.01.001
• Publication Date: 2017-01-12T08:45:36Z
• Authors: Elisa Cooper; Andrea Greve; Richard N. Henson
• Keywords: Information source (mathematics)

Source monitoring paradigms have been used to separate: 1) the probability of recognising an item (Item memory) and 2) remembering context in which that was previously encountered (Source memory), conditional on it being recognised. Multinomial Processing Tree (MPT) models are effective way estimate these probabilities. Moreover, MPTs make explicit assumptions behind different ways parameterise Item memory. Using data from six independent groups across two paradigms, we show one would draw conclusions about effects age, age-related memory problems hippocampal lesions memory, depending use of: standard accuracy calculation vs MPT analysis, models. The results were more consistent than calculations, furnished additional parameters can be interpreted terms of, for example, false recollection or missed encoding. a new structure allowed separate representations (one information item-plus-source information; Source-Item model) fit better, provided pattern significant differences parameters, conventional source is subset (the Item-Source model). Nonetheless, there no theory-neutral scoring data, thus proper examination underlying necessary before theoretical drawn.