Abstract

A study was conducted to determine if people recall events as they actually exist or if schemas and prior expectations profoundly distort memories. The purpose was to establish if typical items present and not present in a particular scene would be recalled most frequently due to false memory, and if people are skeptical of their own mental abilities. Participants (n=45) briefly viewed 3 photos with typical and atypical items present and not present, then selected items they believed were in the picture. Analysis of the data partially supported our hypothesis because it indicated that typical and atypical items present were recalled the most (atypical was not included in the hypothesis), and typical items not present were recalled second most often.

Recommended Citation

Smith, Allison J. and Wilson, Rachael E. (2008) "Think Again," Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal: Vol. 1: Iss. 7, Article 4.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/psych_journals/vol1/iss7/4