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The Effect of Stress on the Development of False Memory and Forgetting. Sarah Vogt, Ashley Recker, and Russalyn Spicer Hanover College. Introduction: What is False Memory?. “…Memories of experiences that never occurred” (Conway, 1997, p. 184).
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The Effect of Stress on the Development of False Memory and Forgetting Sarah Vogt, Ashley Recker, and Russalyn Spicer Hanover College
Introduction: What is False Memory? • “…Memories of experiences that never occurred” (Conway, 1997, p. 184). • In contrast with true memories, they are often associated with weak or vague images • Why we develop them: • Initial interpretation inaccurate • Power of suggestion: fill in gaps over time
Implications for Eyewitness Testimony • Innocence Project (Roots, 2001) • 15 out of 70 cases involved false witness testimony • Exonerated 146 convicts, 13 on death row • Why is it important? • Be skeptical of witness testimony
Stress and False Memories • Experimentally induced stress • Payne, Nadel, Allen, Thomas, and Jacobs (2002) • Stress and no-stress conditions • Related and non-related lure words • More related words “recalled” in stress condition
Stress and Its Effect on Forgetting • Conflicting findings • Some studies found either no effects or interfering effects of stress on memory • Others suggest that more stress = higher levels of recall (Goodman, Hirschman, Hepps & Rudy, 1991)
Stress and Its Effect on Forgetting • Lindberg, Jones, McComas, Collard & Stuart, 2001 • Young Children • Witnessed or Experienced Inoculations • Stress measured by subjective pain of inoculation • Findings: Those who experienced the stress had more stressor-related memories and greater resistance to forgetting over time. Those who only witnessed the stressor had greater memories of non-stressor related details.
Hypotheses • An increase in stress level is expected to result in an increase in the number of false memories • An increase in stress level is expected to result in an increase in forgotten details
Participants • N = 13 • 3 Males/ 10 Females • Ages 18-22 • All Caucasian • Small, Midwestern liberal arts college
Procedure: Overview • Informed Consent • Dual Task Experiment • Difficulty level high • Difficulty level low • Watched video clip (approx 1 minute) • Memory Task (questionnaire) • Debriefing
Dual Task Stimulus • 10 trials each • No practice condition • Stressful • Increased speed of dot (25) • Smaller box size (25) • Not stressful • Decreased speed of dot (2) • Large box size (50)
The Video Clip • 1 minute, 4 seconds • Late at night • Woman witnesses crime from window • Assault/ attempted murder • Male perpetrator • Female victim • Perpetrator runs away
The Memory Task • Post-video questionnaire • 9 sections • e.g. “What did the perpetrator look like?” • Checklist format • How it was coded: • # of false memories = # marked incorrect • # forgotten details = # correct left unchecked • Totals for both false memories and forgotten details recorded
Wallet Purse Car Hedges Robe Underwear Watch Lamp post Police officer Blood Sample Question • Check all that you remember seeing (Check all that apply.):
Results • False Memories • t (11)= - 0.21, p = 0.84 • Stress M = 5.71; No Stress M = 6.00 • Forgotten Details • t (11)= 1.04, p = 0.32 • Stress M = 12.00; No Stress M =10.50 • Example: • Participant “saw” a wallet and crime was a “mugging”
Discussion/Limitations • What does it all mean • Limitations • Dual-task as stressor • Questionnaire Format • Participant interest
Future Directions • Pre-study anxiety scale • Anxiety scale after dual task • Dual task with video • Type of video • Length • Quality • Vary elapsed time before questionnaire • Multiple questionnaires