The Effect Of Distinctiveness On Visual False Memories

Official URL: https://risc01.sabanciuniv.edu/record=b3422570

The current research aimed to investigate false memories by implementing the Category Associates Procedure using a newly created set of pictorial stimuli and to test the effect of distinctiveness on false memories. In Study 1, we examined conceptual distinctiveness by manipulating the backgrounds of studied objects in terms of meaning congruency. In Study 2, we examined perceptual distinctiveness by manipulating the backgrounds of studied objects in terms of color heterogeneity. We hypothesized that the false memory effect would be present, with participants recognizing critical lures more than unrelated items. Furthermore, we hypothesized that distinctiveness would lead to lower rates of false memories. We found a false memory effect for objects (Studies 1 and 2) as well as their backgrounds (Study 1), consistent with previous studies. However, the predicted effect of distinctiveness was not found. In Study 1, we observed no difference between distinctive and non-distinctive conditions in terms of recognition rates of objects. Additionally, we found the opposite of the predicted effect in terms of recognition rates for backgrounds. This effect was further observed when analyzing the subset of data with the most and least congruent lists. For Study 1, we also observed lower memory encoding for the incongruent condition, indicated by signal detection index. In Study 2, we observed no difference between distinctive and non-distinctive conditions neither in recognition rates, RTs and confidence ratings nor in signal detection indices. Our findings suggest that conceptual but not perceptual distinctiveness has a greater effect on memory encoding. However, conceptual incongruity seems to play more disruptive rather than a supporting role for memory. The results are discussed in relation to encoding-based and retrievalbased theories. Additionally, we found some associations between recognition performance and individual differences in imagery measures as well as self-reported strategies.