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Updated: Jul 7, 2026
08:53
Using a Classroom-Based Deese Roediger McDermott Paradigm to Assess the Effects of Imagery on False Memories
Published on: November 14, 2018
Stereotypes influence false memories for imagined events.
Heather M Kleider1, Stephen D Goldinger, Leslie Knuycky
1Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30030, USA. hkleider@gsu.edu
Memory (Hove, England)
|February 21, 2008
Summary
Vividly imagining events, rather than just reading about them, can lead to more false eyewitness memories over time. This effect is stronger for stereotype-consistent actions, suggesting imagery reinforces schemas.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Eyewitness Memory Research
Background:
- Eyewitness accuracy is crucial in legal contexts.
- Person schemas and vivid imagery can influence memory recall.
- Previous research has explored factors affecting eyewitness testimony.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how vivid imagery and person schemas impact eyewitness accuracy.
- To examine the effects of imagery and schema activation on memory over time.
- To differentiate between recognition, source memory, and remember/know judgments.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted with participants viewing event sequences.
- Participants engaged in either reading descriptions or vivid imagination of actions.
- Memory accuracy was assessed at 30 minutes and 2 days using recognition, source memory, and remember/know tasks.
Main Results:
- After 2 days, participants showed increased false alarms for imagined events compared to read events.
- False alarms for imagined events were more frequently misattributed to stereotype-consistent actors.
- Remember judgments were higher for false alarms related to imagined events, irrespective of stereotype consistency.
Conclusions:
- Vivid imagery, over time, can strengthen schema activation.
- This reinforcement leads to an increase in stereotype-consistent false memories.
- Imagery-induced false memories are often accompanied by a subjective sense of remembering.
Related Concept Videos
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01:22Eyewitness Memory
Eyewitness memory refers to the recollection of events by someone who has directly witnessed them, often serving as critical evidence in legal settings. This type of memory is commonly used in criminal cases where a witness describes details like a suspect's appearance, clothing, or behavior during a crime. However, despite its perceived reliability, eyewitness memory is prone to significant errors.
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02:55Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
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01:16Repressed Memory
Repressed memories are a psychological phenomenon where memories of traumatic events are unconsciously blocked from a person's awareness. This process occurs as a defense mechanism, protecting the mind from the emotional impact of distressing or painful experiences. For example, a person who has experienced childhood trauma may grow up with no conscious recollection of the event. In such cases, the memories are thought to be buried deep within the subconscious, inaccessible to the conscious...
01:24Implicit Memories
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