Level of Encoding and False Memory Typicality

Level of Encoding and False Memory Typicality Undergraduate Research Symposium Christiaan Manno May 15, 2004

FACT: YOUR MEMORY IS NOT PERFECT! • False Memories occur everyday - Can occur via the result of competing stimuli on either the encoding or retrieval end. • Easily Created in an experimental environment.

Misinformation

False Memory Research • False Feedback Paradigm (Loftus) • DRM Paradigm (Deese, Roediger, and McDermott, 1995) -Categorized Word Lists -Critical Intrusions

Theoretical Basis • Reproductive and Reconstructive Memory (Bartlett, 1932) • Depth of Analysis (Craik and Lockhart, 1972) -Memories as merely byproducts of perceptual analysis. • Word Typicality/Representativeness (Barsalou, 1983) -(i.e., robin, pigeon, and ostrich)

Implications of False Memory Research • Eyewitness Testimony -Negative Impact of Leading Questions (power of suggestion). -Questions of Validity. • Repressed Memories -Negative Impact of Clinical Memory Retrieval methods. -Questions of Validity.

Implications of False Memory Research (cont.) • Based on Theories of Reconstructive Memory and Spreading Activation Theory (Collins & Loftus, 1975). -Memories often contain associated information. -Gives us a clue of how information is stored in your mind.

Hypothesis • The variability of false memories (critical intrusions), within the list learning paradigm, depends on the level of encoding participants employ. • The anticipated trend is that deeper encoding leads to greater variability in intrusions.

Method • Phase One -Establish levels of Category Output Dominance. -Participants were asked to write down members of a given category. -Commonly mentioned item = Highly Typical. All participants were undergraduate students enrolled in psychology courses.

Method (cont.) • Phase Two -Primary Test Phase. -Presented with word lists. -Semantic (Deep) or Non-semantic (Shallow) encoding. -Recall.

Results • The primary hypothesis was not confirmed.

Results (cont.) • Deeper Encoding lead to higher correct recall. Figure 1. Condition and Mean Score

Results (cont. II) • Deeper Encoding protected against Critical Intrusions. Figure 1. Condition and Critical Intrusions

Discussion • Results confirm prior research on the role of Level of Encoding. • This research is important because it helps us to better understand how to avoid the occurrence of false memories.

Experimental Considerations • Alpha levels were not sufficient to attain significant results. • Further analyses suggested minor design flaws.

Acknowledgements • Distinguished Professor Elizabeth Loftus • Dr. Valerie Jenness, Social Ecology Honors Program Coordinator • Rick Harvey, Grad Student Extraordinaire • Ben Palmer, Research Assistant • UCI Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program

For Further Inquiries: Christiaan P. Manno Department of Psychology and Social Behavior University of California, Irvine cmanno@uci.edu

Level of Encoding and False Memory Typicality