Abstract:
Metamemory is the process of inspecting and judging our own memory. One type of judgment is feeling of knowing (FOK) judgments that are similar to making self-evaluations during learning for later performance. These judgments are influenced by various kinds of fluency cues. Perceptual fluency is the ease of processing perceptual information and does not predict later memory performance while conceptual fluency is the ease of processing conceptual information and accurately predict later memory performance. In academic settings, if students learn to distinguish between accurate and inaccurate cues, they can use the knowledge to use accurate cues effectively for future performance. Past studies investigated the effect of single fluency cue on JOLs. In reality, however, making self-evaluation takes time like FOK judgments paradigm and unlike JOL judgments paradigm that may not be generalizable. Students are also influenced by multiple fluency cues. The present study investigated how multiple fluency cues, font size (large versus small) and level of processing information (deep versus shallow), influence FOK judgments. Seventy eight younger adults studied word pairs in large or small font size and were either directed for deep or shallow level of processing information. Results revealed a significant interaction such that font size was only accounted for when information was processed at a shallow level. Furthermore, participants were overall underconfident in their predictions for their memory performance. Results are discussed in terms of applications in everyday learning, making decisions and in academic settings.
