Socially induced false memories in the absence of misinformation.
Authors
Wagner, Ullrich
Schlechter, Pascal
Echterhoff, Gerald
Publication Date
2022-05-11Journal Title
Sci Rep
ISSN
2045-2322
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Volume
12
Issue
1
Language
en
Type
Article
This Version
VoR
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Wagner, U., Schlechter, P., & Echterhoff, G. (2022). Socially induced false memories in the absence of misinformation.. Sci Rep, 12 (1) https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-11749-w
Description
Funder: Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster (1056)
Abstract
Ample evidence shows that post-encoding misinformation from others can induce false memories. Here, we demonstrate in two experiments a new, tacit form of socially generated false memories, resulting from interpersonal co-monitoring at encoding without communication of misinformation. Pairs of participants jointly viewed semantically coherent word lists, presented successively in blue, green, or red letters. Each individual was instructed to memorize words presented in one of the colors. One color remained unassigned (control condition). Participants (total N = 113) reported more false memories for non-presented words (lures) semantically related to partner-assigned than to control lists, although both list types were equally irrelevant to their own task. Notably, this effect also persisted for particularly rich memories. These findings show for the first time that social induction of false memories, even subjectively rich ones, does not necessarily require communication of deceptive information. This has important implications both theoretically and practically (e.g., in forensic contexts).
Keywords
Article, /631/477, /631/477/2811, article
Sponsorship
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (WA 2105/3-1 (Project Number 324469518), EC 317/10-1 (Project Number 419049966))
Identifiers
s41598-022-11749-w, 11749
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-11749-w
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/337026
Rights
Licence:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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