Investigation of the Effects of Impulsivity and Executive Function on a Complex Prospective Memory Task

• Main Author: Kellogg, Emily
• Format: Others
• Published: Scholar Commons 2015
• Subjects: Event-based; Time-based; UPPS-P; Regression; Psychology
• Online Access: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/5970; http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7166&context=etd

Prospective memory is colloquially known as “remembering to remember” and refers to forming an intention in the present time to fulfill at some point in the future. It has previously been studied within the context of executive functioning (i.e., purposive and goal directed behavior) and impulsive behaviors (e.g., gambling, risk seeking) within clinical populations. This study sought to further elucidate the relationships of impulsivity and executive functions on prospective memory in a non-clinical population. One hundred and nine undergraduates completed the UPPS-P impulsivity self-report questionnaire, three cognitive tasks measuring components of executive function, (i.e., planning, inhibition, and switching), and a Complex Prospective Memory Task that included Time- and Event-based cues. The UPPS-P and executive function tasks did not significantly predict the Complex Prospective Memory Task. However, executive function was found to be a significant predictor above and beyond that of impulsivity for a component of the Time-based prospective memory task. Implications of the results and future directions are discussed.