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Using a Classroom-Based Deese Roediger McDermott Paradigm to Assess the Effects of Imagery on False Memories
Published on: November 14, 2018
Nonprobative photographs (or words) inflate truthiness
Eryn J Newman1, Maryanne Garry, Daniel M Bernstein
1School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand.
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|August 8, 2012
Summary
Non-probative information, like photos, increases subjective feelings of truth, a phenomenon known as "truthiness." This effect enhances belief in claims, regardless of their actual accuracy.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- People often rely on subjective feelings, termed "truthiness," when evaluating claims.
- Non-probative information, which is irrelevant to a claim's veracity, can influence these judgments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how non-probative information impacts "truthiness."
- To determine if visual or verbal non-probative information influences the subjective truth of claims.
Main Methods:
- Four experiments were conducted using celebrity names and general knowledge claims.
- Participants judged the truth of claims, sometimes presented with non-probative photos or verbal information.
- Familiar and unfamiliar celebrity names were used, with claims about their life status.
Main Results:
- Photos increased the perceived truth of claims for unfamiliar celebrities.
- This effect demonstrated a "truth bias," not an "alive bias," as it influenced both "alive" and "dead" claims.
- Both photographic and verbal non-probative information inflated truthiness, and this effect extended to general knowledge claims.
Conclusions:
- Non-probative information, particularly visual cues, significantly enhances subjective feelings of truth.
- The findings suggest that extraneous information can bias judgments, leading to an overestimation of claim veracity.
- This research contributes to understanding how cognitive biases influence belief formation and decision-making.
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