26th Annual Student Research Conference
Effects of Word List Content on Source Attributions Using the DRM Paradigm
Kelsey N. Spalding* and Kerry C. Lee
Dr. Robert Tigner, Faculty Mentor
This study investigated the origin of source attributions for false memories using the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm, in which participants hear lists of words relating to an unread word (critical lure). Participants often falsely remember hearing the critical lures, and attribute a source to them. We hypothesized the origin of this source attribution could be the word list content. A man and a woman read participants gender-oriented word lists. Participants (N=121) completed a recognition task identifying the reader of each word. Undergraduates falsely remembered an average of 73% of critical lures. Though source attributions for critical lures were not as common as previously suggested, critical lures were more likely to be attributed to the speaker of the consistent gender (e.g. tools attributed to the male reader). List content significantly affected attributions for false memories, suggesting content or environmental match could affect important behaviors, such as suspect identification in eyewitness testimony.
Keywords: memory, false memories, DRM Paradigm, eye witness testimony, source attribution
Topic(s):Psychology
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 3-3
Location: GEO
Time: 3:30