PROSPECTIVE MEMORY - WHEN REMINDERS FAIL

A frequent assumption in the area of prospective memory is that a remi nder to do an activity in the future improves the likelihood of doing the activity. The results of ibm experiments indicated, however, that the most general version of this assumption is incorrect. Subjects wer e either reminded of a prospective memory task several times during a retention interval or not reminded of the prospective memory task. The most effective reminders referred both to the prospective memory targ et events and to the intended activity. Reminders that referred only t o the target events did not improve prospective memory (relative to a no-reminder control). Reminders that referred only to the intended act ivity did improve prospective memory, but not to the level of reminder s that referred both to the target events and to the intended activity . Instructions to imagine oneself performing the prospective memory ta sk did not further improve prospective memory. Neither the delay betwe en the prospective memory instructions and the prospective memory cove r task nor the delay between a reminder and a prospective memory targe t event significantly influenced performance. The results, which are d iscussed in terms of theoretical and practical implications, support a new theory of prospective memory and suggest surprising conditions un der which reminders fail to benefit prospective memory.