Is Prospective Memory Monitoring Governed by Dual Processes of Initiating a Retrieval Mode and Checking for Targets? A Conceptual Replication and Extension of Guynn (2003)

Prospective memory (PM) is often supported by monitoring the environment for a PM target that signals it is the appropriate time to perform the intention, a process that is attentionally demanding and therefore induces a cost to the ongoing task. Consequently, monitoring is employed strategically by heightening monitoring in contexts where PM targets are likely to occur, and relaxing monitoring in other contexts. In a seminal paper, Guynn (2003) proposed a dual-process model to explain the mechanisms of strategic monitoring, positing that strategic monitoring is supported by two processes: retrieval mode and target checking. The dual-process model has since been a fundamental contributor within the PM domain, playing a critical role in both theoretical and empirical progress. Although the dual-process model has undoubtedly left its mark, Guynn’s (2003) original findings have not yet been replicated. Moreover, there has been no test of whether these results are replicable in a more traditional PM paradigm. In Experiment 1, we conceptually replicated Guynn’s (2003) findings in support of the dual-process model of strategic monitoring after adjusting her design slightly to provide a more complete characterization of the influence of strategic monitoring on ongoing task costs. Experiment 2 aimed to conceptually replicate the evidence for the dual-process model in a traditional ongoing task within the PM literature, a lexical decision task. Although we found little support for the dual-process model in lexical decision task performance, the pattern of results raises the possibility that task characteristics may affect engagement of retrieval mode and target checking. Ultimately, this study provides the first replication of Guynn (2003) and highlights the need for further investigation of the dual-process model in other PM paradigms.