Year: 2017
Type: dissertation
Abstract: I investigated how memory for future intentions (termed prospective memory or PM) was impacted by interruptions, unresolved interruptions, and delays. The PM task was to shop for eight items within an environmental sustainability rating task. A comedy routine appeared after participants had rated several items for both interruption groups, while the delay group viewed the comedy routine before beginning the shopping task. In the unresolved interruption group the comedy routine never reached its conclusion. I predicted that 1) PM performance would be hindered by interruptions with the unresolved group performing worst, 2) that working memory capacity would moderate effects of interruptions on PM performance, and 3) that interruptions would influence gaze patterns such that less information was considered when making consumer decisions relative to delays. Interestingly, delays rather than interruptions negatively impacted PM performance. Working memory capacity predicted PM performance across conditions. No distinct gaze patterns were observed between conditions.
Author: Joseph T. Slayton
Language: English
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2608853871