Speaking of memory: The production effect’s impact on the DRM illusion

PAC Gym

This poster presentation will present preliminary data for a novel study investigating the effect of word production on the creation of false memories for unstudied words in the DRM illusion. This illusion is characterized by participants receiving a set of semantically associated words (i.e., bed, rest, pillow, slumber) which thereby activate a similar, unstudied word referred to as a critical lure (i.e., sleep). When asked to recall studied words, often participants will identify a critical lure as studied. However, previous research has shown that changing the encoding of DRM lists may reduce the number of false memories created for these lures. We hope to extend these findings and hypothesize that speaking words aloud in a DRM list will significantly reduce the rate of false recall for critical lures compared to reading the words silently.