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Long-term, multi-event surprise correlates with enhanced autobiographical memory

Author

Listed:
  • James W. Antony

    (California Polytechnic State University)

  • Jacob Dam

    (California Polytechnic State University)

  • Jarett R. Massey

    (California Polytechnic State University)

  • Alexander J. Barnett

    (University of Toronto)

  • Kelly A. Bennion

    (California Polytechnic State University)

Abstract

Neurobiological and psychological models of learning emphasize the importance of prediction errors (surprises) for memory formation. This relationship has been shown for individual momentary surprising events; however, it is less clear whether surprise that unfolds across multiple events and timescales is also linked with better memory of those events. We asked basketball fans about their most positive and negative autobiographical memories of individual plays, games and seasons, allowing surprise measurements spanning seconds, hours and months. We used advanced analytics on National Basketball Association play-by-play data and betting odds spanning 17 seasons, more than 22,000 games and more than 5.6 million plays to compute and align the estimated surprise value of each memory. We found that surprising events were associated with better recall of positive memories on the scale of seconds and months and negative memories across all three timescales. Game and season memories could not be explained by surprise at shorter timescales, suggesting that long-term, multi-event surprise correlates with memory. These results expand notions of surprise in models of learning and reinforce its relevance in real-world domains.

Suggested Citation

  • James W. Antony & Jacob Dam & Jarett R. Massey & Alexander J. Barnett & Kelly A. Bennion, 2023. "Long-term, multi-event surprise correlates with enhanced autobiographical memory," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 7(12), pages 2152-2168, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:7:y:2023:i:12:d:10.1038_s41562-023-01631-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-023-01631-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Oded Bein & Katherine Duncan & Lila Davachi, 2020. "Publisher Correction: Mnemonic prediction errors bias hippocampal states," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-1, December.
    2. Alex Pine & Noa Sadeh & Aya Ben-Yakov & Yadin Dudai & Avi Mendelsohn, 2018. "Knowledge acquisition is governed by striatal prediction errors," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-14, December.
    3. Oded Bein & Katherine Duncan & Lila Davachi, 2020. "Mnemonic prediction errors bias hippocampal states," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. James D. Howard & Thorsten Kahnt, 2018. "Identity prediction errors in the human midbrain update reward-identity expectations in the orbitofrontal cortex," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Anthony I. Jang & Matthew R. Nassar & Daniel G. Dillon & Michael J. Frank, 2019. "Positive reward prediction errors during decision-making strengthen memory encoding," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 3(7), pages 719-732, July.
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