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Laine M, Jylkkä J, Ritakallio L, Eräste T, Kangas S, Hering A, Zuber S, Kliegel M, Fellman D, Salmi J. Spontaneous memory strategies in a videogame simulating everyday memory tasks. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2024; 77:611-625. [PMID: 37309805 PMCID: PMC10958750 DOI: 10.1177/17470218231183958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
People can use different internal strategies to manage their daily tasks, but systematic research on these strategies and their significance for actual performance is still quite sparse. Here we examined self-reported internal strategy use with a 10-block version of the videogame EPELI (Executive Performance in Everyday LIving) in a group of 202 neurotypical adults of 18-50 years of age. In the game, participants perform lists of everyday tasks from memory while navigating in a virtual apartment. Open-ended strategy reports were collected after each EPELI task block, and for comparison also after an EPELI Instruction Recall task and a Word List Learning task assessing episodic memory. On average, 45% of the participants reported using some strategy in EPELI, the most common types being grouping (e.g., performing the tasks room by room), utilising a familiar action schema, and condensing information (e.g., memorising only keywords). Our pre-registered hypothesis on the beneficial effect of self-initiated strategy use gained support, as strategy users showed better performance on EPELI as compared with no strategy users. One of the strategies, grouping, was identified as a clearly effective strategy type. Block-by-block transitions suggested gradual stabilisation of strategy use over the 10 EPELI blocks. The proneness to use strategies showed a weak but reliable association between EPELI and Word List Learning. Overall, the present results highlight the importance of internal strategy use for understanding individual differences in memory performance, as well as the potential benefit for internal strategy employment when faced with everyday memory tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matti Laine
- Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Jussi Jylkkä
- Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Liisa Ritakallio
- Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Tilda Eräste
- Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Suvi Kangas
- Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Alexandra Hering
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sascha Zuber
- Centre for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research LIVES—Overcoming Vulnerability: Life Course Perspectives, Lausanne & Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Kliegel
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Centre for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Fellman
- Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Juha Salmi
- Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
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