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The Effect of Stress on the Development of False Memory and Forgetting

The Effect of Stress on the Development of False Memory and Forgetting. Sarah Vogt, Ashley Recker, and Russalyn Spicer Hanover College. Introduction: What is False Memory?. “…Memories of experiences that never occurred” (Conway, 1997, p. 184).

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The Effect of Stress on the Development of False Memory and Forgetting

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  1. The Effect of Stress on the Development of False Memory and Forgetting Sarah Vogt, Ashley Recker, and Russalyn Spicer Hanover College

  2. Introduction: What is False Memory? • “…Memories of experiences that never occurred” (Conway, 1997, p. 184). • In contrast with true memories, they are often associated with weak or vague images • Why we develop them: • Initial interpretation inaccurate • Power of suggestion: fill in gaps over time

  3. Implications for Eyewitness Testimony • Innocence Project (Roots, 2001) • 15 out of 70 cases involved false witness testimony • Exonerated 146 convicts, 13 on death row • Why is it important? • Be skeptical of witness testimony

  4. Stress and False Memories • Experimentally induced stress • Payne, Nadel, Allen, Thomas, and Jacobs (2002) • Stress and no-stress conditions • Related and non-related lure words • More related words “recalled” in stress condition

  5. Stress and Its Effect on Forgetting • Conflicting findings • Some studies found either no effects or interfering effects of stress on memory • Others suggest that more stress = higher levels of recall (Goodman, Hirschman, Hepps & Rudy, 1991)

  6. Stress and Its Effect on Forgetting • Lindberg, Jones, McComas, Collard & Stuart, 2001 • Young Children • Witnessed or Experienced Inoculations • Stress measured by subjective pain of inoculation • Findings: Those who experienced the stress had more stressor-related memories and greater resistance to forgetting over time. Those who only witnessed the stressor had greater memories of non-stressor related details.

  7. Hypotheses • An increase in stress level is expected to result in an increase in the number of false memories • An increase in stress level is expected to result in an increase in forgotten details

  8. Participants • N = 13 • 3 Males/ 10 Females • Ages 18-22 • All Caucasian • Small, Midwestern liberal arts college

  9. Procedure: Overview • Informed Consent • Dual Task Experiment • Difficulty level high • Difficulty level low • Watched video clip (approx 1 minute) • Memory Task (questionnaire) • Debriefing

  10. Dual Task Stimulus • 10 trials each • No practice condition • Stressful • Increased speed of dot (25) • Smaller box size (25) • Not stressful • Decreased speed of dot (2) • Large box size (50) 

  11. The Video Clip • 1 minute, 4 seconds • Late at night • Woman witnesses crime from window • Assault/ attempted murder • Male perpetrator • Female victim • Perpetrator runs away

  12. The Memory Task • Post-video questionnaire • 9 sections • e.g. “What did the perpetrator look like?” • Checklist format • How it was coded: • # of false memories = # marked incorrect • # forgotten details = # correct left unchecked • Totals for both false memories and forgotten details recorded

  13. Wallet Purse Car Hedges Robe Underwear Watch Lamp post Police officer Blood Sample Question • Check all that you remember seeing (Check all that apply.):

  14. Results • False Memories • t (11)= - 0.21, p = 0.84 • Stress M = 5.71; No Stress M = 6.00 • Forgotten Details • t (11)= 1.04, p = 0.32 • Stress M = 12.00; No Stress M =10.50 • Example: • Participant “saw” a wallet and crime was a “mugging”

  15. Discussion/Limitations • What does it all mean • Limitations • Dual-task as stressor • Questionnaire Format • Participant interest

  16. Future Directions • Pre-study anxiety scale • Anxiety scale after dual task • Dual task with video • Type of video • Length • Quality • Vary elapsed time before questionnaire • Multiple questionnaires

  17. Questions?

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