Two experiments investigated the effects of product-attribute associations on false consumer memory. In both experiments, subjects were presented with sets of related product attributes under incidental encoding conditions. Later, recognition memory was tested with studied attributes, non-studied but associated attributes (critical lures) and non-studied unrelated attributes. In Experiment 1, the effect of Need for Cognition (NFC) was assessed. It was found that individuals high in NFC recognised more presented attributes and falsely recognised more associative critical lures. The increase in both true and associative false memory was accompanied by a greater number of responses that index the retrieval of detailed episodic-like information. Experiment 2, replicated the main findings through an experimental manipulation of the encoding task that required subjects to consider purchase likelihood. Explanations for these findings are considered from the perspective of activation processes and knowledge structures in the form of gist-based representations.
Abstract Two experiments are presented that investigated the effects of horizontal saccadic eye movements and handedness on eyewitness memory for central and peripheral information. In both experiments, participants viewed a short video depicting a bank robbery and episodic memory was tested after a short delay. Experiment 1 used recognition memory and found an interaction between eye movement, handedness and type of information recalled. This indicated that eye movements enhanced memory to a greater extent for peripheral information for individuals classified as consistently handed. Experiment 2 used free-recall and found eye movement enhancement effects of similar magnitude for central and peripheral items. A similar pattern of eye movement effects was observed for both consistent and inconsistent-handed individuals. Inconsistent handers also had superior memory overall. The results are discussed in terms of theoretical accounts of eye movement effects and implications for the enhancement of eyewitness memory.
This study investigated the relationship between conspiracist beliefs, reality testing, belief in the paranormal, and related anomalistic beliefs (urban legends). Attitudes toward general conspiracist beliefs and endorsement of specific conspiracy theories correlated with reality testing deficits and belief in the paranormal. High reality testing deficit scores were associated with less critical ratings of conspiracy theories and increased belief in the paranormal. Regression analysis indicated that reality testing and belief in the paranormal predicted attitudes toward general conspiracist beliefs. Partial correlation revealed that reality testing and belief in the paranormal explained similar amounts of variance; both measures were similarly associated with attitudes toward general conspiracist beliefs. Conspiracist beliefs positively correlated with related anomalistic beliefs (urban legends). Correlations were found between attitudes toward general conspiracist beliefs, conspiracy theory endorsement, and individual conspiracy theory ratings; general attitudes were associated with specific theory endorsement, and belief in one conspiracy theory was associated with belief in others. These findings are discussed in the context of recent research.
Research has demonstrated that merely imagining an autobiographical event can bring about false memories for that event. One explanation for this is that imagination leads to the creation and incorporation of visual-imagistic information into the event representation. This idea was tested in two experiments in which visual-imagery processing was disrupted by the use of Dynamic Visual Noise (DVN). In Experiment 1, autobiographical memories that were rated as "known" and lacking in event detail were subsequently rated as more "remembered" following imagination. In Experiment 2, imagination led to improbable autobiographical events being rated as more believable and vivid. In both experiments, interfering with imagery processing by DVN reduced these effects. It was concluded that visual-imagistic processing plays an important role in altering the mnemonic status of autobiographical representations.
This study investigated the relationships between cognitive-perceptual personality dimensions (transliminality and delusional ideation) and self-report measures of memory error (Oblivion Scale and the Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire). 100 full- and part-time psychology undergraduate students completed the measures (18 men and 82 women; M =19.3 yr., SD = 4.4). A positive correlation was found between transliminality and reported memory aberrations (Oblivion Scale scores) and also between transliminality and Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire scores. Correlations were positive between Peters, et al. Delusions Inventory and the self-report memory measures. Transliminality and Peters, et al. Delusions Inventory scores predicted the number of memory aberrations or slips reported on the Oblivion Scale and Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire. To explore whether transliminality explained additional variance to that accounted for by the Peters, et al. Delusions Inventory, forward regression was applied and showed aspects of transliminality not accounted for by Peters, et al. Delusions Inventory did not explain additional variance within the self-report memory measures.
Two experiments are reported that investigate the effects of saccadic bilateral eye movements on the retrieval of item, associative, and contextual information. Experiment 1 compared the effects of bilateral versus vertical versus no eye movements on tests of item recognition, followed by remember-know responses and associative recognition. Supporting previous research, bilateral eye movements enhanced item recognition by increasing the hit rate and decreasing the false alarm rate. Analysis of remember-know responses indicated that eye movement effects were accompanied by increases in remember responses. The test of associative recognition found that bilateral eye movements increased correct responses to intact pairs and decreased false alarms to rearranged pairs. Experiment 2 assessed the effects of eye movements on the recall of intrinsic (color) and extrinsic (spatial location) context. Bilateral eye movements increased correct recall for both types of context. The results are discussed within the framework of dual-process models of memory and the possible neural underpinnings of these effects are considered.
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