Why we recall fewer emotional false memories: investigating retrieval dynamics in false recall for negative emotional...

False memories are often studied using the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm. This paradigm demonstrates how semantically related word lists can induce erroneous recall or recognition of non-presented critical lures. Emotional DRM lists typically elicit higher false recognition than neutral lists but paradoxically reduce false recall. To examine why, this study examined the retrieval dynamics of false recall for emotional (negative) versus neutral lists using an externalised free recall task. Here, participants list all words that come to mind (inclusion output) before indicating which they believe were studied (recall output). Emotional lists produced fewer critical lures during inclusion, but no difference in the proportion of those lures later labelled as recalled. These results help us to more fully understand the role of retrieval in emotional false memory development and the importance of lure accessibility and error correction as a crucial feature in theoretical explanations of false memories. Implications for theoretical models and differences in recall and recognition dynamics are discussed.