Priming Effect In The Event-Based Prospective Memory

Prospective memory is the ability we use to formulate intentions, to make plans and promises, and to retain and execute them at the appropriate place or time. It refers to the future, and reminds us to do something. Event-based prospective memory, one kind of it, demands the performance of an intended action after the recognition of an external cue in the environment. Whether we can remember to execute the intention and the performance qualities reflect our prospective skill. This ability will affect our self-evaluation and evaluation from others, playing an important role in our daily life.By using the classical experimental paradigm devised by McDaniel et. al., this study was designed to investigate priming effect in the event-based prospective memory. Whether the priming can improve the performance of PM? What is the optimal priming to enhance PM(time, position and (time, position and presented pattern)? The present study discusses prospective memory and the ongoing task performance, and investigates the resource distribution under priming conditions, confirming the existing theories.Findings indicated:1, the priming can improve the perspective memory performance, and the priming under the threshold selects the automatic processing method;2, there are some requirements in priming effect in the event-based prospective memory:the PM performance with the30ms priming is better than that under the100ms priming; There is an interactive effect between task types and priming positions:Optimal priming effect shows in the condition where the task is perceptual, with priming presented before memory task and without masking stimulus.3, the priming, simultaneously presents with ongoing task, improve the PM performance, and interfere with ongoing task; there the TAP effect in perceptual processing PM.This study supported the multi-processing theory. In the case that priming is below the threshold and without masking stimulus between memory task and priming task, priming is processed automatically without taking up any cognitive resource. Whereas in the case that the priming is over the threshold, with masking stimuli, or when the priming is non-goal, priming inhibits the ongoing task, is processed strategically, and requires cognitive resource. Applying priming into the study of prospective memory further investigates various situations of multi-processing, and lays foundation in the relational research of PM and implicit memory.