Long-term memory
Do matching sounds help us remember objects later?
Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC
Hearing a matching, task-irrelevant sound when looking at an object makes you more likely to vividly recollect it later.
Key findings
Congruent sounds consistently boosted memory performance, yielding an average recognition area under the curve of 0.82 compared to 0.80 for incongruent sounds. Further analysis revealed this boost was driven specifically by recollection, which showed a strong effect size of 0.15, whereas familiarity showed almost no effect at 0.02. Participants were also much better at identifying the exact sound paired with congruent items.
Methodology
The researchers conducted three experiments with undergraduate students (with 66 analyzed per experiment) to see how sounds affect visual memory. In the initial experiment, participants made size judgments on visual objects presented for 400 milliseconds alongside congruent, incongruent, or control sounds, followed by a surprise recognition test. The second experiment separated memory into recollection and familiarity using specialized confidence ratings, while the final experiment tested memory for the sounds themselves.
Limitations
The findings are limited to college students tested in an online environment, which may not represent memory processes in broader populations. Additionally, the study does not rule out whether other sensory pairings, like visual and tactile cues, would yield similar recollection benefits. The researchers also noted that very brief exposure times might change how sensory processing influences memory.
How this study connects
Role on claims
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Recognition memory can be dissociated into dual processes of recollection and familiarity, with congruent task-irrelevant sensory cues selectively boosting detailed recollection while leaving familiarity unaffected.
Evidence for the claim as stated.
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