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Pupil size changes during recognition memory
Author(s) -
Otero Samantha C.,
Weekes Brendan S.,
Hutton Samuel B.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
psychophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.661
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1469-8986
pISSN - 0048-5772
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2011.01217.x
Subject(s) - pupillometry , psychology , pupil , recognition memory , pupil size , cognitive psychology , cognition , pupil diameter , engram , false memory , pupillary response , trace (psycholinguistics) , developmental psychology , neuroscience , linguistics , philosophy
Pupils dilate to a greater extent when participants view old compared to new items during recognition memory tests. We report three experiments investigating the cognitive processes associated with this pupil old/new effect. Using a remember/know procedure, we found that the effect occurred for old items that were both remembered and known at recognition, although it was attenuated for known compared to remembered items. In Experiment 2, the pupil old/new effect was observed when items were presented acoustically, suggesting the effect does not depend on low‐level visual processes. The pupil old/new effect was also greater for items encoded under deep compared to shallow orienting instructions, suggesting it may reflect the strength of the underlying memory trace. Finally, the pupil old/new effect was also found when participants falsely recognized items as being old. We propose that pupils respond to a strength‐of‐memory signal and suggest that pupillometry provides a useful technique for exploring the underlying mechanisms of recognition memory.