The nature of memory for action events: An episodic integration view

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Abstract
Four experiments studied the effect of conceptual integration (semantic integration) on the memory performance of action events. Experiment I studied normatively semantic integration within each individual item. The remaining experiments examined the effect of semantic integration at encoding on memory for subject-performed tasks (SPTs) and memory for verbal tasks (VTs). Both SPT and VT memory were tested in free recall and cued recall. In cued recall, either verbs or nouns (objects) were used as cues. In Experiment 2, well-integrated (WI) and poorly integrated (PI) items were used as a between-subjects variable. In Experiment 3, using a longer study list, type of item was a within-subjects variable. In Experiment 4, the level of integration was decreased for WIs and increased for PIs. The results from all experiments indicated that the encoding of the two components of SPTs (action verb and object) are together affected by semantic integration of the conceptual pre-experimental relation between verb and noun. The effect of encoding enactment is interpreted as episodic integration concerning a functional relation between a verb and a noun at the time of study. Finally, it was found that semantic and episodic integration correlated closely with each other, and the combination of these two types of integration results in superior memory performance. The results are discussed in terms of a strategic and an episodic integration view of SPT encoding.

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