Start Date
April 2026
Location
3rd floor - Library
Abstract
How do errors affect the learning of incidental details? People often vividly remember moments when they were corrected, suggesting that errorful learning may engage episodic memory. This study investigates whether corrective feedback enhances memory for contextual information by activating dopaminergic prediction error signals. Prior research (Overman et al., 2021) showed that participants better remembered details, such as font color, when feedback corrected an incorrect response rather than confirmed a correct one, suggesting a role for attention and negative prediction error in encoding. To test this, we designed a multimodal experiment combining a feedback-based memory task, pupillometry, and a modified Eriksen flanker task. During encoding, participants generated category exemplars and received either corrective or confirmatory feedback in colored font. They then completed a cued recall test assessing memory for both items and associated context (font color), followed by the flanker task. Pupil dilation was recorded throughout using a Gazepoint eye tracker, and participants reported ADHD symptoms, caffeine intake, and medication use. Data were collected from 55 participants (ages 18–25), with a target sample size of n = 60. Repeated-measures ANOVAs and correlation analyses will examine relationships among context memory, attention, pupil dilation, and individual differences. It is predicted that corrective feedback will enhance contextual memory and that attention-related measures will explain these effects. Findings may inform strategies to improve feedback in learning and clarify how dopamine-related traits influence memory, attention, and broader cognitive performance.
CAFE: Corrective Feedback, Context Memory, and Dopamine
3rd floor - Library
How do errors affect the learning of incidental details? People often vividly remember moments when they were corrected, suggesting that errorful learning may engage episodic memory. This study investigates whether corrective feedback enhances memory for contextual information by activating dopaminergic prediction error signals. Prior research (Overman et al., 2021) showed that participants better remembered details, such as font color, when feedback corrected an incorrect response rather than confirmed a correct one, suggesting a role for attention and negative prediction error in encoding. To test this, we designed a multimodal experiment combining a feedback-based memory task, pupillometry, and a modified Eriksen flanker task. During encoding, participants generated category exemplars and received either corrective or confirmatory feedback in colored font. They then completed a cued recall test assessing memory for both items and associated context (font color), followed by the flanker task. Pupil dilation was recorded throughout using a Gazepoint eye tracker, and participants reported ADHD symptoms, caffeine intake, and medication use. Data were collected from 55 participants (ages 18–25), with a target sample size of n = 60. Repeated-measures ANOVAs and correlation analyses will examine relationships among context memory, attention, pupil dilation, and individual differences. It is predicted that corrective feedback will enhance contextual memory and that attention-related measures will explain these effects. Findings may inform strategies to improve feedback in learning and clarify how dopamine-related traits influence memory, attention, and broader cognitive performance.
