Assessing the Survival Processing Memory Advantage in a More Ecologically Valid Environment

We know that evolution has shaped our physical characteristics, but how has it shaped our cognitive processes? It is likely that evolution created a memory predisposition for survival information. Research has shown that processing stimuli for their survival relevance results in a memory advantage when asked to recall those stimuli compared to other forms of deep level processing. Studies investigating the survival processing advantage have traditionally used written words as the stimuli to be remembered, but little research has been done using images of objects. The present study aimed to test the survival processing effect in a more realistic environment, as well as implement the use of eye-tracking technology to provide data on the potential underlying mechanisms driving the survival processing effect. It was hypothesized that the group processing the objects for survival would have greater recall scores compared to the control group that processed words for their relevance to a hunting contest. Participants were tested (N=61) and the results supported this hypothesis suggesting that the survival processing is replicable under more realistic survival conditions.