ERIC Number: EJ724569
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Jan
Pages: 15
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0749-596X
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Available Date: N/A
The Roles of Associative Strength and Source Memorability in the Contextualization of False Memory
Hicks, Jason L.; Starns, Jeffrey J.
Journal of Memory and Language, v54 n1 p39-53 Jan 2006
We tested the impact of associative strength and retrieval heuristics in false source memory. We arranged 12-item associative lists in descending order of backward associative strength to a critical non-presented item and then split them into 6-item sub-lists at the median. High- and low-strength sub-lists were correlated with presentation source. Source claims for falsely remembered critical items were more often to the presentation source of high-strength items, which we have labeled the "source-strength effect." With only two exceptions in Experiment 2, the source-strength effect was produced even when differences in source memorability led participants to infer generally that items lacking source evidence were presented in the low-strength source. Indeed, the influence of associative strength on source attributions was shown to be completely independent of this inference strategy in a third experiment. This study demonstrates that source details of concepts most highly related to critical items are retrieved with false memories.
Descriptors: Memory, Recall (Psychology), Experiments, Heuristics, Association (Psychology), Associative Learning
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
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Author Affiliations: N/A