Table_2_Motor engagement enhances incidental memory for task-irrelevant items.docx

Actions shape what we see and memorize. A previous study suggested the interaction between motor and memory systems by showing that memory encoding for task-irrelevant items was enhanced when presented with motor-response cues. However, in the studies on the attentional boost effect, it has been revealed that detection of the target stimulus can lead to memory enhancement without requiring overt action. Thus, the direct link between the action and memory remains unclear. To exclude the effect of the target detection process as a potential confounder, this study assessed the benefit of action for memory by separating items from the response cue in time. In our pre-registered online experiment (N = 142), participants responded to visual Go cues by pressing a key (i.e., motor task) or counting (i.e., motor-neutral cognitive task) while ignoring No-go cues. In each trial, two task-irrelevant images were sequentially presented after the cue disappearance. After encoding the Go/No-go tasks, participants performed a surprise recognition memory test for those images. Importantly, we quantified the impact of overt execution of the action by comparing memories with and without motor response and the impact of covert motor processes (e.g., preparation and planning of action) by comparing memory between the motor and cognitive tasks. The results showed no memory differences between Go and No-go trials in the motor task. This means that the execution itself was not critical for memory enhancement. However, the memory performance in the motor No-go trials was higher than that in the cognitive No-go trials, only for the items presented away from the cues in time. Therefore, engaging the motor task itself could increase incidental memory for the task-irrelevant items compared to a passive viewing situation. We added empirical evidence on the online interaction between action and memory encoding. These memory advantages could be especially brought in action preparation and planning. We believe this fact may expand our present understanding of everyday memory, such as active learning.

行动塑造我们的所见与所忆。过往一项研究通过发现当任务无关项目伴随运动反应线索呈现时，其记忆编码会得到增强，从而揭示了运动系统与记忆系统之间的交互作用。然而，在关于注意提升效应（attentional boost effect）的研究中，已有研究揭示：即使无需外显行动，对目标刺激的检测也可带来记忆增强。因此，行动与记忆之间的直接关联仍不明确。为排除目标检测过程作为潜在混淆变量的影响，本研究通过在时间上将项目与反应线索分离，评估了行动对记忆的增益效应。在我们的预注册在线实验（N = 142）中，参与者需对视觉Go线索做出按键反应（即运动任务）或进行计数（即运动中性认知任务），同时忽略No-go线索。在每一试次中，两条任务无关图像会在线索消失后依次呈现。在完成Go/No-go任务的编码后，参与者需对上述图像完成意外再认记忆测试。至关重要的是，我们通过对比有、无运动反应时的记忆表现，量化了行动外显执行的影响；同时通过对比运动任务与认知任务间的记忆差异，量化了内隐运动过程（如行动的准备与规划）的影响。结果显示，在运动任务中，Go试次与No-go试次的记忆表现无显著差异。这意味着行动执行本身并非记忆增强的关键因素。但仅针对时间上与线索分离的项目而言，运动任务No-go试次的记忆表现显著高于认知任务No-go试次。因此，相较于被动观看场景，参与运动任务本身可提升任务无关项目的无意记忆水平。本研究为行动与记忆编码间的在线交互提供了实证依据。这类记忆优势尤其可能在行动准备与规划阶段产生。我们认为这一发现可拓展我们对日常记忆（如主动学习）的现有认知。