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Updated: May 25, 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
Working memory predicts the rejection of false memories
1Department of Psychology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA. j.leding@unf.edu
Memory (Hove, England)
|February 2, 2012
Summary
Individuals with high working memory capacity (WMC) experience fewer false memories. They effectively use memory editing strategies, demonstrating superior source monitoring abilities.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Memory Studies
Background:
- Previous research indicates a link between higher working memory capacity (WMC) and reduced susceptibility to false memories in various experimental paradigms.
- The proposed mechanism involves enhanced source monitoring abilities in individuals with high WMC, allowing for better discrimination between presented and inferred information.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between working memory capacity (WMC) and false memory formation specifically within the memory conjunction paradigm.
- To examine whether high-WMC individuals employ superior source monitoring strategies, such as recall-to-reject, to mitigate false recognition.
Main Methods:
- Participants were exposed to 'parent' words during a study phase.
- At test, participants encountered targets, foils, and lures constructed from studied features.
- Analysis included false recognition rates and the utilization of recall-to-reject responses.
Main Results:
- Individuals with high WMC exhibited significantly lower levels of false recognition compared to those with low WMC.
- High-WMC individuals were more likely to employ recall-to-reject strategies, explicitly referencing studied items to reject lures.
Conclusions:
- Findings provide direct evidence that enhanced source monitoring, facilitated by recall-to-reject strategies, contributes to the reduced proneness to false memories in individuals with high WMC.
- The memory conjunction paradigm effectively demonstrates the role of WMC in memory accuracy and the underlying cognitive control mechanisms.
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