Instruction Based Manipulation of Memory Confidence and Perceived Responsibility in a Non-Clinical Sample and its Effects on Checking Behaviour and Memory Task Performance.

Individuals with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), specifically checking compulsions (CC), report they check because they doubt their memory ability. Repeated checking, however, appears to perpetuate checking behaviour and further enhances uncertainty over memory ability. It is unclear if a memory deficit underlies CC or whether beliefs about one’s memory ability initially induce CC. Beliefs about one’s metamemory (specifically low memory confidence: LMC) and a high sense of responsibility (HR) over preventing harm have separately been associated with CC. However, the influence of LMC and HR together have not causally been linked to actual checking or memory performance as yet. Therefore the current study manipulated healthy participants’ (n= 61) memory confidence by providing either positive or negative false feedback on performance in a memory task involving presentation of verbal and visual items. Furthermore, high or low responsibility feedback was given to manipulate sense of responsibility. Performance (memory accuracy and response bias) and memory confidence for tasks on an actual recognition test were measured, in addition to checking behaviour (urge to check and actual checking). Results revealed that the manipulations did not affect urge to check but did affect memory confidence, specifically numerically enhancing actual checking of verbal stimuli in LMC groups. Memory accuracy was better for easier visual tasks but also response bias was more liberal for verbal items in LMC groups. The responsibility manipulation appeared to be ineffective. Thus metamemory beliefs may induce checking behaviour and affect memory task performance. Limitations of the study and the roles of task difficulty and response bias are discussed in relation to CC experimental investigations, but also regarding cognitive-behavioural formulations and treatments of OCD