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Updated: Jun 24, 2026
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The Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) Task: A Simple Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate False Memories in the Laboratory
Published on: January 31, 2017
Visual false memories in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Lena Jelinek1, Birgit Hottenrott, Sarah Randjbar
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. l.jelinek@uke.uni-hamburg.de
Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry
|March 24, 2009
Summary
Patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) do not show increased false memories compared to controls. However, depression levels were linked to false memory production in traumatized individuals. Further research is recommended.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Trauma Studies
Background:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with cognitive alterations, including memory.
- A debate exists on whether PTSD increases susceptibility to false memories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if patients with PTSD exhibit higher rates of false memory production.
- To explore potential underlying mechanisms such as depression, dissociation, emotional valence, and arousal.
Main Methods:
- A visual Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm was employed.
- Participants included 48 individuals with trauma (20 with PTSD, 28 without PTSD) and 28 non-traumatized controls.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were found in memory performance or confidence across the groups.
- False memory production was positively correlated with depression levels.
Conclusions:
- The study did not find evidence that PTSD inherently increases false memory susceptibility using the visual DRM paradigm.
- Depression may play a role in false memory formation in traumatized populations.
- Future research should utilize trauma-specific materials to examine memory aberrations in PTSD.
Related Concept Videos
01:18False Memories
False memories represent a cognitive distortion in which individuals recall events that did not happen, or remember them in an altered form. This phenomenon highlights the brain's constructive nature in processing and recalling memories, emphasizing that memory is not a perfect representation of past events but rather a dynamic reconstruction influenced by various factors.
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01:27Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
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01:20Traumatic Memory
Emotionally traumatic events often lead to memories that are exceptionally vivid and enduring, sometimes persisting with remarkable clarity throughout an individual's life. A classic example of this phenomenon is a person who survives a car accident. Even years later, they may recall every detail of the event with startling accuracy — the screeching of the tires, the jarring impact, and the acrid smell of burning rubber. Such vividness contrasts sharply with how an individual remembers mundane...
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...
01:22Eyewitness 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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01:21Dissociative Amnesia
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