The Effect of False Memory Produced by Visual Stimuli on Change Detection

Abstract

In the present study, we investigated whether a false memory produced by visual stimuli could be used as a cue for the change blindness task, and whether the mental representation of a false memory is conceptual or perceptual. Twenty-three university students were divided into text or image groups for the experiment, which consisted of a false memory production task, a change blindness task, a recognition task, and debriefing, in that order. The Deese-Roediger-McDermott paradigm was used to produce false memories. The results showed that false memories were more likely to be produced in the text group than in the image group. In addition, false memories produced by the text stimuli facilitated change detection better than false memories produced by the image stimuli. This suggests that the false memories produced by the text stimuli provided a cue for the change blindness task. However, the false memories produced by the image stimuli did not promote change detection. This suggests that the mental representations of false memories are conceptual in nature.