Attentional Focus During Repeated Checking Influences Memory but not Metamemory

Compulsive checking may be associated with reduced memory confidence, which results from changes in encoding during the act of repeated checking. It was hypothesized that instructions to focus attention on one’s surroundings as well as one’s actions during a repeated checking task may attenuate decreases in memory confidence. Prior to a repeated checking task, 64 participants were instructed to focus not only on their actions but also on their surroundings (Peripheral condition), and 66 participants were instructed to focus only on their actions (Central condition). Contrary to expectations, compared with those in the central condition, participants in the peripheral condition did not report greater memory confidence, but did have a significantly more accurate memory. Furthermore, this effect was largest for participants scoring high on a measure of compulsive checking. Results are discussed in terms of cognitive models of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and compulsive checking.