Recall vs. Recognition (reliability)

Define Recall vs. Recognition (reliability)

Recall is the process of retrieving information from memory without external cues. It requires actively searching through memory, like when you try to remember a list of items or answer a question from memory.Recognition, on the other hand, involves identifying information when it is presented to you. It’s a more passive process, like when you recognize an image or select the correct answer from a multiple-choice question.

Aim

The aim of the study conducted by Bahrick et al. was to investigate the long-term reliability of autobiographical memory, specifically focusing on the ability to recognize and recall the names and faces of individuals from one’s high school class.

Method

The study involved nearly 392 participants, ranging in age from 17 to 74 years old. Some participants had graduated only two weeks prior, while others had graduated 57 years earlier. To be selected for the study, participants had to have been part of a high school class with at least 90 graduates, and the graduating class must have had a published yearbook.

The participants were administered five different memory tests:

1. Free Recall Test: Participants were asked to name as many people from their graduating class as they could within an 8-minute time limit.
   
   

2. Photo Recognition Test: Participants were shown 10 cards, each with 5 photos. They were asked to identify which of the 5 photos was from their own yearbook, with an 8-second time limit. If unsure, they were instructed to guess.
   
   

3. Name Recognition Test: 10 lists of names were presented, each containing one name from the participant’s graduating class. Participants were asked to identify the person from their class.
   
   

4. Matching Test: 10 cards, each with 5 pictures and a name across the top, were shown. Participants were asked to match the name with the correct photo.
   
   

5. Picture Cueing Test: Participants were shown 10 portraits one by one and asked to write down the name of the person in the photo, with a 15-second time limit.
   
   

The free recall test was administered first, followed by random assignments to the order of the remaining tests. For each question, participants were also asked to rate their confidence in their answers on a three-point scale: 3 (certain), 2 (probable), and 1 (guess).

Findings

• Accuracy of Recognition:
  Participants who were tested within 15 years of graduation were about 90% accurate in identifying names and faces.
  After 48 years, accuracy for recognizing names decreased to 80%, and for recognizing faces, it decreased to 70%.

• Accuracy of Recall:
  Free recall (the ability to name people without seeing their photos) was significantly worse. After 15 years, participants were 60% accurate, and after 48 years, they were only 30% accurate.

  The findings suggest that memories related to the names and faces of people from one’s past, particularly those associated with high school, remain highly reliable over time, especially when recognition is involved. However, the study also highlights that recognition memory (e.g., matching names to faces) tends to be more accurate than recall memory (e.g., recalling names without cues), and that recall tends to decline more significantly with the passage of time. This indicates that recognition is a more robust form of autobiographical memory compared to free recall.