Do changed learning goals explain why metamemory judgments reactively affect memory?

Abstract

Measurement of mental processes is the bedrock of cognitive psychology, but the interpretation of such measurements is profoundly undermined by evidence that many mental processes are changed by (are reactive to) the act of being observed and measured. The current article is concerned with one particular type of reactivity, namely changes in memory performance when individuals are asked to concurrently monitor their learning via judgments of learning (JOLs). One explanation for memory reactivity is that the requirement to engage in metamemory monitoring changes learners’ goals, shifting them towards greater prioritization of mastering easy items and de-prioritization of memorizing difficult ones. This hypothesis is tested in 5 experiments (2 of which were pre-registered), which varied item difficulty by contrasting related (e.g., computer – keyboard) and unrelated (e.g., book – shoe) word pairs. While the experiments find robust evidence that recall is affected by the requirement to make immediate JOLs (reactivity), two key predictions of the goal-change account are not supported. The observed findings suggest that a change in the learner’s goal is not the main mechanism underlying JOL reactivity. Alternative explanations for why memory is reactive to metamemory judgments are discussed.