I saw it for longer than you: the relationship between perceived encoding duration and memory conformity
Fiona Gabbert1, Amina Memon, Daniel B Wright
1Division of Psychology, University of Abertay, Dundee, Scotland, UK. f.gabbert@abertay.ac.uk
Acta Psychologica
|June 13, 2006
Summary
Believing your memory is weaker than a partner's increases memory conformity. This effect, where memories align after discussion, is influenced by perceived encoding duration and response order.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Metamemory Research
Background:
- Memory conformity effect describes how individual memories converge after social interaction.
- Metamemory, or beliefs about one's own memory, may influence susceptibility to conformity.
- Previous research has not fully explored the role of perceived memory quality in memory conformity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if perceived memory quality, specifically perceived encoding duration, mediates susceptibility to the memory conformity effect.
- To examine the role of metamemory in the relationship between perceived encoding duration and memory conformity.
- To understand how response order influences memory conformity under manipulated perceived encoding durations.
Main Methods:
- Participants were assigned to dyads and told one member had a different encoding duration for stimuli (pictures).
- Dyads discussed stimuli before an individual free recall test.
- A source monitoring test assessed the attribution of recalled items.
Main Results:
- Participants perceiving shorter encoding durations exhibited greater memory conformity.
- This effect was mediated by response order, with participants recalling partner's items more readily.
- Unseen items were misattributed to the original stimuli approximately 50% of the time.
Conclusions:
- Perceived encoding duration significantly impacts memory conformity, mediated by response order.
- Metamemory, specifically beliefs about memory quality, plays a crucial role in susceptibility to memory conformity.
- Findings highlight the dynamic interplay between memory accuracy, social influence, and self-perception of memory.
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