Preferred Name
Casey Williamson
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Date of Graduation
Spring 2016
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Department of Graduate Psychology
Advisor(s)
Kethera Fogler
Abstract
Although different theories attempt to explain the underlying mechanism of false remembers, none have been able to adequately describe this process. The current study aims to determine if a specific contextual detail (i.e., font color) can be tied to false remembers (i.e., false memory that contains contextual or perceptual details), and if there are age differences in this ability. Using the Deese, Roediger, McDermott (DRM) paradigm (Deese, 1959; Roediger & McDermott, 1995) and the contextual detail of font color, this study investigated if older and younger adults can tie a specific color to studied items and critical lures (non-presented semantic associates). No differences in the ability to tie the color back to studied items and critical lures were found between older and younger adults; however, both groups had performances that were at or near chance. It was found that older adults used remember responses (i.e., a specific detailed memory) more frequently than know responses (i.e., a feeling of familiarity). This indicates that older adults are able to associate specific details, although their performance was as poor as younger adults in incorporating the specific detail of font color that was supplied.
Recommended Citation
Williamson, Casey M., "Context effects of false remember responses in older and younger adults" (2016). Masters Theses, 2010-2019. 94.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/master201019/94
