Intelligence as It Relates to Conscious and Unconscious Memory Influences

• Published in: Canadian journal of experimental psychology 2013-09, Vol.67 (3), p.165-174
• Main Authors: Joordens, Steve, Walsh, Darlene, Mantonakis, Antonia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Cognition & reasoning; Consciousness - physiology; Consciousness States; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human; Humans; Individual Differences; Intelligence; Intelligence - physiology; Intelligence Tests; Learning. Memory; Male; Memory; Memory - physiology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Statistics as Topic; Students; Studies; Time Factors; Unconscious (Psychology); Universities; Verbal Learning; Vocabulary
• ISSN: 1196-1961; 1878-7290
• DOI: 10.1037/a0033660

We examine the relationship between a measure of intelligence and estimates of conscious and unconscious memory influences derived using Jacoby's ( Jacoby, L. L. [1991] . A process dissociation framework: Separating automatic from intentional uses of memory. Journal of Memory and Language , 30 , 513-541.) process-dissociation procedure. We find a positive relationship between intelligence and conscious memory, and no relationship between intelligence and unconscious influences once the impact of conscious influences are removed (Experiment 1). We also find that when participants cannot engage in conscious strategies, such as when there is insufficient time for learning, the relationships observed in Experiment 1 are eliminated (Experiments 2A and 2B). Our results support the notion that individual differences in intelligence reflect differences in conscious strategic processes ( Karis, D., Fabiani, M., & Donchin, E. [1984] . "P300" and memory: Individual differences in the von Restorff effect. Cognitive Psychology , 16 , 177-216.) and not differences in mental speed ( Eysenck, H. J. (1984) . Intelligence versus behavior. The Behavioral and Brain Sciences , 7 , 290-291; Jensen, A. R. [1982] . Bias in mental testing. New York, NY: Free Press). Les auteurs examinent la relation entre une mesure de l'intelligence et les estimations des influences dérivées de la mémoire consciente et inconsciente, en se servant de la procédure de dissociation des processus de Jacoby ( Jacoby, L. L. [1991] . A process dissociation framework: Separating automatic from intentional uses of memory. Journal of Memory and Language , 30 , 513-541). L'analyse révèle une relation positive entre l'intelligence et la mémoire consciente, mais aucune entre l'intelligence et les influences inconscientes une fois qu'ont été supprimées les répercussions des influences conscientes (Expérience 1). Elle révèle aussi que lorsque les participants ne peuvent s'engager dans des stratégies conscientes, par exemple, lorsqu'il n'y a pas assez de temps pour apprendre, les relations observées durant l'Expérience 1 sont éliminées (Expérience 2A et 2B). Les résultats appuient la notion que les différences individuelles en matière d'intelligence sont attribuables à des processus stratégiques conscients différents. ( Karis, D., Fabiani, M., & Donchin, E. [1984] . "P300" and memory: Individual differences in the von Restorff effect. Cognitive Psychology , 16 , 177-216.), et ne relèvent pas de différences dans l