Research Article
Are Clinicians Better Than Lay Judges at Recalling Case Details? An Evaluation of Expert Memory
Christopher A. Webb,
Jared W. Keeley, Deborah K. Eakin,
Corresponding Author
Christopher A. Webb
Mississippi State University
Please address correspondence to: Christopher A. Webb, Department of Psychology, P.O. Box 6161, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorChristopher A. Webb,
Jared W. Keeley, Deborah K. Eakin,
Corresponding Author
Christopher A. Webb
Mississippi State University
Please address correspondence to: Christopher A. Webb, Department of Psychology, P.O. Box 6161, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorWe thank the many undergraduate research assistants who helped prepare recruitment letters and code data. This project would not have been possible without them.
Abstract
Objective
This study examined the role of expertise in clinicians’ memory for case details. Clinicians’ diagnostic formulations may afford mechanisms for retaining and retrieving information.
Method
Experts (N = 41; 47.6% males, 23.8% females; 28.6% did not report gender; age: mean [M] = 54.69) were members of the American Board of Professional Psychologists. Lay judges (N = 156; 25.4% males, 74.1% females; age: M = 18.85) were undergraduates enrolled in general psychology. Three vignettes were presented to each group, creating a 2 (group: expert, lay judge) x 3 (vignettes: simple, complex–coherent, complex–incoherent) mixed factorial design. Recall accuracy for vignette details was the dependent variable.
Results
Data analyses used multivariate analyses of variance to detect group differences among multiple continuous variables. Experts recalled more information than lay judges, overall. However, experts also exhibited more false memories for the complex–incoherent case because of their schema-based knowledge.
Conclusions
This study supported clinical expertise as beneficial. Nonetheless, negative influences from experts’ schema-based knowledge, as exhibited, could adversely affect clinical practices.
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