Investigating the Automatic Encoding of Temporal Information

This project examines whether temporal information, such as the order or timing of events, is automatically encoded into memory during experiences. While it is well-established that memory can include details about "what" happened and "where" it occurred, the mechanisms by which "when" something happened is stored remain less clear. This study aims to determine whether temporal details are an inherent part of memory formation or if their encoding requires intentional focus.
Participants will engage in tasks that vary in their emphasis on temporal versus non-temporal aspects of events, allowing researchers to test whether temporal information is retained even when it is not explicitly relevant to the task. Behavioral measures will assess the extent to which temporal information influences recall and decision-making.
The findings of this project will contribute to a deeper understanding of the automaticity of temporal encoding in memory and its implications for how we structure and retrieve experiences. Insights from this research may inform theories of episodic memory and support applications in education, therapy, and technology design.
- Students are expected to spend at least 6 hours/week. Approximately 4 hours will be spent on data collection, 30 minutes on the weekly project meeting, and 1.5 hours on reading and data analysis.
- Interested students are encouraged to reach out to Eren Günseli to describe what motivates them to participate in this project and their current level of research experience.
- For more information on our research, check out our website at gunselilab.com