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Vulnerability to the Misinformation Effect As a Function of Handedness Consistency

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Vulnerability to the Misinformation Effect As a Function of Handedness Consistency Vulnerability to the Misinformation Effect as a Function of Handedness Consistency A Master’s Thesis Stephanie Monroe Marietta College A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Marietta College Psychology Department in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Psychology May 2019 Running head: HANDEDNESS AND FALSE MEMORY 1 Vulnerability to the Misinformation Effect as a Function of Handedness Consistency A Master’s Thesis Stephanie Monroe Marietta College A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Marietta College Psychology Department in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Psychology May 2019 HANDEDNESS AND FALSE MEMORY 2 Vulnerability to the Misinformation Effect as a Function of Handedness Consistency A Master’s Thesis Stephanie Monroe Marietta College This thesis has been approved for the Master of Arts in Psychology Program by the faculty in the Department of Psychology at Marietta College. HANDEDNESS AND FALSE MEMORY 3 Abstract The current study examined the production of false memory in relation to consistency of handedness. Past research has demonstrated that there are individual differences between left- and right-handed people regarding the accuracy of their memory. Subsequent research has suggested that the differences are likely due to interhemispheric interaction, which is more likely from consistency of handedness (inconsistently handed or consistently handed). The current study examined individual differences in vulnerability to the misinformation effect in relation to consistency of handedness. It was predicted that participants with inconsistent handedness would be less vulnerable to the misinformation effect than participants with consistent handedness. The results of the current study however, suggest that there are no significant differences between consistently and inconsistently handed participants regarding false memory utilizing the misinformation paradigm. Explanations for the results are further described in the discussion section. HANDEDNESS AND FALSE MEMORY 4 Vulnerability to the Misinformation Effect as a Function of Handedness Consistency People often believe that their memories are always, or almost always, accurate. However, a wide array of research has shown otherwise. Memory is malleable in the sense that it can be altered by information received prior to the event (proactive interference), or by information received after the event (retroactive interference) (Loftus & Pickrell, 1995). Inaccurate or completely fabricated memories that are believed to be both accurate and true are referred to as false memories. As time passes, our memories slowly diminish, and our brains automatically fill in the gaps (Loftus & Pickrell, 1995). New information is easily added to memories, altering our memories and making them inaccurate (Roediger & McDermott, 1995). Additionally, memory reconstruction occurs when the brain automatically fills in fuzzy areas of a memory, making the memory seem and feel accurate, but is in fact fabricated in some way (Roediger & McDermott, 1995). Many researchers have explored the underpinnings of false memories and have applied this phenomenon to a multitude of real-world situations including therapy, interrogation methods, and eyewitness testimony (Loftus & Zanni, 1975). Researchers have also been interested in whether there are specific characteristics or individual differences that affect peoples’ performance on memory tests. For example, research has demonstrated that left-handed people tend to exhibit better memory when taking memory tests than right-handed people (Cuzzocreo, Yassa, Verduzco, Honeycutt, Scott, & Bassett, 2009). One characteristic that has not been heavily researched is consistency of handedness in relation to memory. Specifically, consistency of handedness goes further than just identifying as left- or right-handed, but how consistently a person uses the same hand across several tasks. The current study examines consistency of handedness (inconsistently and consistently handed) and vulnerability to false HANDEDNESS AND FALSE MEMORY 5 memory. Specifically, consistency of handedness may be a factor of falling victim to the creation of false memories. False Memory Loftus has conducted seminal work in false memory research. Loftus was interested in how information given after witnessing an event can alter memories as well as prompt the creation of entirely new memories. Research has shown that after witnessing an event, any information given afterward creates a post-information effect that can alter memories of that event, leading to false recall (Loftus, Miller, & Burns, 1978). Participants were shown, via slide show, a car accident. After being exposed to a series of slides, the participants were given a set of questions to answer about the event they had just witnessed. Some participants were given misleading information while other participants were given information consistent with what they had just seen (Loftus et al, 1978). For example, in the slideshow, participants saw a red car stop at a stop sign. Some participants had the question, “what color was the car that stopped at the stop sign?” while other participants had the question, “what color was the car that waited at the yield sign?” The second group had been presented with the misinformation of the type of sign the car stopped at (Loftus et al, 1978). Participants were most likely to fall victim to the misinformation effect and report false details about the event when misleading information was presented after viewing the event (Loftus et al, 1978). Another experiment explored how the amount of time between the presentation of the stimuli and the recall test affects the accuracy of recall. Overall, the researchers concluded that there are no major differences between immediately, 20 minutes, and one day after, but any timeframe after one day decreases accuracy on the recall test (Loftus et al, 1978). HANDEDNESS AND FALSE MEMORY 6 Loftus was interested in furthering these findings by inducing complete memories that never happened to the individual, and so conducted the “Lost in a Shopping Mall” study. With the help of family members, Loftus and Pickrell (1995) created believable (but false) memories and had family members “remind” participants of the events (three true events and one fabricated event). The false memory always involved getting lost in a mall or department store. During interviews, participants were asked to recall each of the four memories (the three true memories and one fabricated memory) in as much detail as possible. At the end, they were asked how clear each memory was and how confident they were of the accuracy of each memory (Loftus & Pickrell, 1995). Overall, by the second interview, confidence levels and clarity for the false memories were relatively high. At the end of the study, the participants were then informed that one of the four memories they were asked to recall was in fact fabricated and they were asked to choose which event was not real. Participants often chose a true event as being false, meaning that they believed the false memory of getting lost in a store was true (Loftus & Pickrell, 1995). Overall, participants remembered the true events 68% of the time and falsely remembered the fabricated event 29% of the time. This research shows that suggestion and planting information can lead to the formation of memories that never actually happened. When asked how confident each participant was in how accurate their recollection of each event was, participants were relatively confident on all of their memories, including the memory that was unknowingly artificial. This shows that confidence levels are not significantly different between true memories and memories where the misinformation effect has been conducted (Loftus & Pickrell, 1995; Mahé, Corson, Verrier, & Payoux, 2015; Roediger & McDermott, 1995). This is important because it demonstrates that confidence does not always mean accuracy. HANDEDNESS AND FALSE MEMORY 7 Roediger and McDermott (1995) have conducted a great deal of research on false memory as well. Roediger and McDermott (1995) developed a recall task that involved being exposed to lists of words by modifying a model originally created by Deese (1959). Each list surrounded one key word that was intentionally left out, called the “critical lure word” (Roediger & McDermott, 1995). For example, a list would include, “bed, pillow, night, alarm clock, pajamas…” and the critical lure word would be “sleep.” Although the word “sleep” was never presented, participants often falsely remembered seeing or hearing the word, thus creating a false memory. This task is called the Deese-Roediger-McDermott Paradigm, or the DRM Paradigm (Roediger & McDermott, 1995). Roediger and McDermott’s 1995 research consisted of two experiments. In experiment one, the researchers utilized the DRM task. Participants listened to six lists, all surrounded by one missing critical lure word. Then after a brief break, participants were asked to write down any words they were fairly certain they had heard. Experiment two was similar, except it involved 16 lists. After the first eight lists, participants took a recall test immediately after. Then after the second set of lists, participants completed math problems for five minutes, followed by a recall test for all 16 lists (Roediger & McDermott, 1995). The participants also completed a Remember-Know task during the overall recall test (Tulving, 1985). The purpose of
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