Using a Classroom-Based Deese Roediger McDermott Paradigm to Assess the Effects of Imagery on False Memories

This technique can be used to answer key questions in the field of cognitive science, like how mental imagery during encoding can affect the source monitoring of memories later on. The main advantage of this technique is the automated presentation can be used to systematically control the presentation of stimuli in a classroom environment. Though the method can be used to provide insight into the different types of associative processing on working and long-term memory, it can also be used as an in-class demonstration of the basic principles of cognitive psychology, such as false memories, dual encoding and semantic networks.

Begin by creating four separate presentations of word lists:Imagery A, Imagery B, Non-Imagery A, and Non-Imagery B.Ensure that all four presentations are void of templates or designs, with white backgrounds and black font. Entitle the first content slide Instructions. In the body of the Instructions slide, include the relevant instructions according to whether the presentation is designated as imagery or non-imagery.

Following the Instructions slide, create slide two, and type Prepare for the practice list”centered vertically and horizontally on the slide in 44 point font. On slides three through 10, present the practice list words in order, one word per slide, centered horizontally and vertically in lower-case 72 point font. Go under Transitions in the menu to designate a slide duration of five seconds.

Next, on slide 11, indicate the end of the practice list, and the beginning of recall by typing End of practice list”in black font, with the word recall capitalized and double spaced below it in red font. Designate a slide duration of 45 seconds. After the practice list recall slide, create 10 slides to present the test lists in the same manner.

For the first slide, type Prepare for list X”Then, for the following eight slides, include the list words in order, each on a separate slide with five second durations. For the last slide, insert a recall slide for 45 seconds with End of list in black font followed by the number of the list in the presentation. Next, ensure that the order of the lists and the slides vary according to the presentation, either in ascending or descending order.

After the recall slide for the last list, ensure that the next slide includes the following text:End of word lists. Turn to the next page in your packets and please take the next seven minutes to work on the attached word searches. Finally, create a slide with no duration that says, End of Word Searching.

One last activity. Create two versions of recall packets, Imagery and Non-Imagery, in a word processor. On page one of both versions, prompt participants to write down their name, gender, age, major, or any other demographic variables of interest.

On page 13 of both versions, show a word search with dimensions of 20 by 20 letters or larger. Ensure that no list or practice words occur in the word search. Within pages two to 12, include repeated recall activity pages, which vary according to the version.

Next, obtain the final recognition test, consisting of 80 items, and keep it separate as a separate sheet from the recall packets. Ensure that instructions on the recognition test prompt participants to indicate yes or no in writing as to whether each item appeared in any of the lists presented. Of the 80 items use 30 from the lists presented on the presentation slides at the start of the study.

Include each of the 10 critical lures related to the 10 presented lists on the test. Then, for the additional 40 items, use the Deese-Roediger-McDermott, or DRM lists not presented to the participants, including the first, third, and seventh items from each of the 10 non-presented lists, as well as the associated critical lure for each of the 10 non-presented lists. Arrange the items on the recognition memory test such that one item from each of the 10 presented lists and 10 non-presented lists appears prior to any critical lures.

Begin by introducing yourself as the researcher. My name’s Dr.Oliver, and this is Dr.Miller, and we’re gonna be doing a little research experience and participation in class today. And distribute informed consent forms to participants.

Have them read and sign the informed consent. Next, distribute the appropriate recall packets to each participant, based on the condition assigned to their class, and read the instructions from the presentation aloud with the slide presented. Ask participants to flip to the next page in their packet for the practice list.

If you guys would please turn to the next page in your packet. Move to presentation slide three and read the prompt aloud. Okay, please prepare for the practice list.

Everyone ready to practice? After reading the prompt-Okay, here we go. Move to slide four, and allow the presentation to progress through the timed practice list slides.

When the practice list recall slide expires and automatically moves to the next list prompt slide, prompt participants to ask any questions they have about the procedure. Does anyone have any questions about the procedure? Answer any questions and instruct participants to turn to page three in their packet for list one.

Then, read the list one prompt out loud, and progress to the timed list one slides. Have participants complete the next page in their packet. After recall for list 10, supervise as the presentation prompts the participants to turn to the next page in their packet and work on the word search for seven minutes.

Then, when the presentation automatically progresses to the final slide, collect the recall packets from participants, and distribute the final recognition test. Instruct participants to complete the final recognition test at their own pace, and to do their best not to leave any items blank. Finally, after all participants have finished the test, collect the recognition tests, and verbally debrief participants.

We’re doing a study using these word lists looking at false memories, and so essentially, these word lists, as you’re reading them, remind you of a word that’s not actually up there. This table illustrates the effects of standard DRM procedures without imagery on false memories. Participants falsely recalled the critical lures 13%of the time, and falsely recalled other, non-studied words 8%of the time.

False memories for critical lures were much more likely on the recognition test, where participants falsely remembered 45%of the critical lures. False memories for other non-studied words were much less likely. Here, the effects of using mental imagery during DRM procedures are shown with a comparison of memory accuracy, including list words accurately remembered and critical lures falsely remembered across imagery and non-imagery conditions.

Imagining list words during DRM procedures significantly decreased the proportion of false memories during recall and recognition. False memory rates were 6%lower in the imagery condition than in the standard non-imagery condition. Imagery also improved memory in DRM procedures by significantly increasing the proportion of list words that participants correctly recalled and recognized by 5%This protocol can be adapted if more traditional, non-imagery DRM procedures are your focus.

Our protocol details modifications that can be used to adapt materials to include only non-imagery instructions or to use longer DRM word lists from the original DRM studies, both of which can increase false memory rates. While attempting this procedure, it’s important to remember that even slight modifications in list presentation, such as time durations, can significantly affect the outcomes.