False Memory Experiment
INTRODUCTION
A false memory is the memory that did not actually occur, but looks like real to the person which recalled it. We tend to change the layout or embed things in our memory that have happened in the past or heard about them later. In reality everything we recall in our memory had not happened but our brain replaces and adds lost information from previous and related events. True memories can often be differentiated from false memories by their vividness: false memories are more "pale" and less detailed.
Many things which we recall from our memory may not be an exact representation of what had happened in the past. An aspect of memory is that it is a justifiable account of what should have happened. A premature experiment by Bartlett …show more content…
The list consisted of 96 different words but there were rest periods of 30s after the first 32 and 64 words. Each word was shown for 2 seconds and the participant had to remember them because later he would be given a recognition test. There were 40 old words (5 from each of the 8 presented lists) and 56 new words which 48 of them were ordinary new words (6 from each of the 8 which were not in lists) and 8 were critical new words. Maths problems were also displayed at the screen for 2 minutes, for example the participant had to add 2 + 55. The breaks were 30 seconds long each. There was one after 32 words, one after the next 32 words, then after the third and final 32 words, the filler task came immediately and lasted for 1 minute. There was no break after the filler task, before the test …show more content…
When the recognition test had started and a word was appeared, the participant had 5 choices to press and is the following: “definitely not in list”, “probably not in list”, “unsure either way”, “probably in list” and “definitely in list”. The participant used the mouse to click on his box that expresses his opinion. The breaks were 30 seconds long each. There was one break after 32 words, one after the next 32 words, then after the third and final 32 words, the filler task came immediately and lasted for 1 minute. There was no break after the filler task, before the test phase. When all the words had been displayed, a small table of results with three different average scores was shown to the screen and the participant had to record these numbers and exit the
A false memory is the memory that did not actually occur, but looks like real to the person which recalled it. We tend to change the layout or embed things in our memory that have happened in the past or heard about them later. In reality everything we recall in our memory had not happened but our brain replaces and adds lost information from previous and related events. True memories can often be differentiated from false memories by their vividness: false memories are more "pale" and less detailed.
Many things which we recall from our memory may not be an exact representation of what had happened in the past. An aspect of memory is that it is a justifiable account of what should have happened. A premature experiment by Bartlett …show more content…
The list consisted of 96 different words but there were rest periods of 30s after the first 32 and 64 words. Each word was shown for 2 seconds and the participant had to remember them because later he would be given a recognition test. There were 40 old words (5 from each of the 8 presented lists) and 56 new words which 48 of them were ordinary new words (6 from each of the 8 which were not in lists) and 8 were critical new words. Maths problems were also displayed at the screen for 2 minutes, for example the participant had to add 2 + 55. The breaks were 30 seconds long each. There was one after 32 words, one after the next 32 words, then after the third and final 32 words, the filler task came immediately and lasted for 1 minute. There was no break after the filler task, before the test …show more content…
When the recognition test had started and a word was appeared, the participant had 5 choices to press and is the following: “definitely not in list”, “probably not in list”, “unsure either way”, “probably in list” and “definitely in list”. The participant used the mouse to click on his box that expresses his opinion. The breaks were 30 seconds long each. There was one break after 32 words, one after the next 32 words, then after the third and final 32 words, the filler task came immediately and lasted for 1 minute. There was no break after the filler task, before the test phase. When all the words had been displayed, a small table of results with three different average scores was shown to the screen and the participant had to record these numbers and exit the