Effect of encoding variability on rejection of non-corresponding lures: Role of retrieval processes

•Fixations at encoding coincided with subsequent forced-choice recognition.•More fixations to target associated with accurate recognition when guesses removed.•More fixations to original version of lure associated with recognition error.•Fixations at encoding not related to mnemonic process used to guide recognition. The primary goal of the current study was to assess whether different retrieval processes moderated the effect of encoding variability on accurate performance on the A-B' test format of the forced-choice Mnemonic Similarity Task (MST). Young adults completed the A-B' test format of the forced-choice MST and determined whether their recognition memory judgment was based on recall-to-reject processing, recall-to-accept processing, familiarity, or guessing. When guesses were excluded from correct trials, fixation counts were higher to the A stimulus than the B stimulus at encoding. Contrary to our expectation that greater fixations to the A versus B stimulus at encoding would be associated with reliance on familiarity or recall-to-accept processing and greater fixations to the B versus A stimulus would be associated with recall-to-reject processing, no interaction between the stimulus and the subsequently reported memory process was observed.