journal article Open Access Feb 17, 2013

Electrophysiological analysis of the role of novelty in the von Restorff effect

Brain and Behavior Vol. 3 No. 2 pp. 159-170 · Wiley
Abstract
AbstractItems that are distinctive with respect to their context tend to be recalled better than nondistinctive items, a finding known as the von Restorff effect. The goal of this study was to elucidate the role of novelty in this effect. In two experiments, participants performed a dual task in which they had to study words presented visually while to‐be ignored sounds were played over earphones. Sounds could be either standard or novel, and words could be presented in standard or novel font. Sounds were presented either simultaneously with the words (Experiment 1) or preceding them (Experiment 2). Electrophysiological correlates of novelty processing, the N2b and P3a ERP components, were recorded while the words were studied. It was seen that cued recall was better for words presented in novel fonts than for words in a standard font (the von Restorff effect). Words presented while novel sounds were played were remembered worse (Experiment 1) or equally well (Experiment 2) than those combined with standard sounds. Words presented in novel fonts elicited enhanced N2b, P3a, P3b, and N400 components; however, none of these components were specifically larger for subsequently recalled novel‐font words. A larger N2b was found for recalled than for nonrecalled words, but this effect was not specific for words presented in novel font. We hypothesized that if novelty was beneficial for memory processing, the N2–P3 complex would be more enhanced for novel words that were later recalled than for those not recalled. The data showed otherwise. This suggests that novelty processing, as indexed by the N2–P3 novelty components, is not the main cause of the von Restorff effect.
Topics

No keywords indexed for this article. Browse by subject →

References
56
[12]
EEGLAB: an open source toolbox for analysis of single-trial EEG dynamics including independent component analysis

Arnaud Delorme, Scott Makeig

Journal of Neuroscience Methods 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2003.10.009
[16]
Encoding processes and memory organization: A model of the von Restorff effect.

Monica Fabiani, Emanuel Donchin

Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memo... 10.1037/0278-7393.21.1.224
[26]
Johansson B. S. "Attention and the von Restorff effect" Br. J. Psychiatry (1970)
[43]
Updating P300: An integrative theory of P3a and P3b

John Polich

Clinical Neurophysiology 10.1016/j.clinph.2007.04.019
[45]
Pritchard W. (1991)
[50]
Two varieties of long-latency positive waves evoked by unpredictable auditory stimuli in man

Nancy K Squires, Kenneth C Squires, Steven A Hillyard

Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiolog... 10.1016/0013-4694(75)90263-1

Showing 50 of 56 references

Metrics
15
Citations
56
References
Details
Published
Feb 17, 2013
Vol/Issue
3(2)
Pages
159-170
License
View
Funding
NWO Award: 452-09-007
Cite This Article
Mauricio Rangel‐Gomez, Martijn Meeter (2013). Electrophysiological analysis of the role of novelty in the von Restorff effect. Brain and Behavior, 3(2), 159-170. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.112
Related

You May Also Like

Socioeconomic status, white matter, and executive function in children

Alexandra Ursache, Kimberly G. Noble · 2016

175 citations

Neuroanatomy and function of human sexual behavior: A neglected or unknown issue?

Rocco S. CALABRÒ, Alberto Cacciola · 2019

166 citations

Molecular links between endocrine, nervous and immune system during chronic stress

Roberto Zefferino, Sante Di Gioia · 2020

161 citations

Cortical asymmetry in Parkinson's disease: early susceptibility of the left hemisphere

Daniel O. Claassen, Katherine E. McDonell · 2016

108 citations