Evidence for the Use of Three-way Binding Structures in Associative and Source Recognition

Abstract

Avoiding interference among similar memory traces may be helped by forming complex memory structures that include multiple components of the event. In a laboratory setting, these structures have been studied through list learning paradigms, where the pairs in one list are swapped in another list (i.e., ABABr condition), and one has to form a memory structure that includes items and context together (i.e., three-way binding). However, despite the long history of the theoretical concept, and its importance, three-way bindings have only been examined in recall paradigms. Moreover, not all memory models consider the ability to form three-way binding structures as a default. The current study, therefore, examined the use of three-way binding structures in associative and source recognition. Results indicate that three-way binding structures are used during recognition, thus challenging memory models that are not capable of representing such structures