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The Influence of Confirmation Bias on Memory and Source Monitoring.
Peter Frost1, Bridgette Casey1, Kaydee Griffin1
1a Southern New Hampshire University.
The Journal of General Psychology
|December 10, 2015
Summary
Confirmation bias affects memory. People better remember information, and its source, that aligns with their existing beliefs, impacting recognition memory for gun control information.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Memory Studies
Background:
- Confirmation bias is a cognitive tendency to favor information confirming existing beliefs.
- Understanding how confirmation bias influences memory for information and its source is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of confirmation bias on recognition memory for information and its source.
- To examine if pre-existing viewpoints affect recall of supporting versus opposing information.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted involving participants indicating a stance on gun control.
- Participants reviewed abstracts or social media posts, then completed a recognition memory test.
- Memory for information supporting or opposing their stated viewpoint was assessed.
Main Results:
- Recognition memory was significantly higher for information that supported participants' viewpoints compared to opposing information.
- The study suggests a bias in memory recall favoring congruent information.
Conclusions:
- Confirmation bias plays a significant role in shaping recognition memory.
- Individuals tend to remember information aligning with their beliefs more readily, impacting information processing and source memory.
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