Abstract
Incentives during encoding reliably enhance memory yet their effects at retrieval remain unclear. Theoretically, retrieval incentives may bias judgments without altering sensitivity, alter sensitivity without biasing judgments, or alter both decision bias and sensitivity. The present research focused on the potential for prospective Gains versus Losses at retrieval to alter recognition sensitivity relative to a Neutral condition. Moreover, it examined this across three groups in which feedback was manipulated Feedback (Ntotal = 238). In the Score Change (SC) group, participants received selective feedback indicating point increases for accurate responses under Gain trials and point decreases for errors under Loss trials. No other outcomes altered the point total. In the Score Change plus Accuracy (SC+ACC) group, participants additionally received trial-by-trial recognition accuracy feedback for all responses, regardless of whether they changed point totals. These groups were contrasted with a No Feedback (NFB) control group. Across feedback groups, the prospective Gain prospects reliably increased recognition sensitivity relative to Neutral prospects by selectively increasing hit rates. Loss prospects produced a more fragile sensitivity improvement, contingent upon feedback group, by lowering the false alarm rate relative to the Neutral prospects for the SC group only. Drift diffusion modeling revealed that regardless of feedback group, prospective Gains selectively increased drift rates for old items relative to Neutral and Loss prospects, indicating enhanced utilization of mnemonic evidence. In contrast, prospective Gains and Losses increased boundary separation relative to Neutral ones, reflecting greater response caution. Together, these findings demonstrate that, at retrieval, prospective Gains and Losses have dissociable effects on memory, and that the former robustly increase sensitivity.
Committee Chair
Ian Dobbins
Committee Members
Edward Han; Justin Kantner; Wouter Kool; Zach Reagh
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Author's Department
Psychology
Document Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
4-27-2026
Language
English (en)
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7936/zfbb-6m33
Author's ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8252-2416
Recommended Citation
Filiz, Gizem, "Dissociable Effects of Prospective Gains and Losses on Recognition Sensitivity: Evidence from Feedback Manipulations and Drift Diffusion Modeling" (2026). Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations. 3781.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.7936/zfbb-6m33