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Updated: Jul 14, 2025
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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
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Intuitive thinking predicts false memory formation due to a decrease in inhibitory efficiency
Giorgio Gronchi1, Stefania Righi1, Gioele Gavazzi1
1Psychology Section, Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child's Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Frontiers in Psychology
|October 9, 2023
Summary
Intuitive thinking increases false memory formation, like remembering words not presented. This occurs mainly due to reduced inhibition of suggested words, not just familiarity.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Memory Studies
Background:
- False memory formation is commonly studied using the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm.
- This paradigm involves participants recalling words not originally presented.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how analytical versus intuitive thinking styles influence false memory creation.
- To determine the underlying mechanisms contributing to increased false memories in intuitive thinkers.
Main Methods:
- Two studies utilized the DRM paradigm.
- Both recognition and recall tests were employed to assess memory performance.
Main Results:
- Intuitive thinkers exhibited a greater tendency to form false memories.
- A decrease in inhibitory efficiency was identified as a primary factor, more so than reliance on the familiarity heuristic.
Conclusions:
- Reduced inhibition significantly contributes to false memory formation in intuitive individuals.
- The findings highlight the role of cognitive control in memory accuracy.
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