ERIC Number: EJ933788
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Jan
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0278-7393
EISSN: N/A
Remembering Makes Evidence Compelling: Retrieval from Memory Can Give Rise to the Illusion of Truth
Ozubko, Jason D.; Fugelsang, Jonathan
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, v37 n1 p270-276 Jan 2011
The "illusion of truth" is traditionally described as the increase in perceived validity of statements when they are repeated (Hasher, Goldstein, & Toppino, 1977). However, subsequent work has demonstrated that the effect can arise due to the increased familiarity or fluency afforded by repetition and not necessarily to repetition per se. We examine the case of information retrieved from memory. Recently experienced information is expected to be subsequently reexperienced as more fluent and familiar than novel information (Jacoby, 1983; Jacoby & Dallas, 1981). Therefore, the possibility exists that information retrieved from memory, because it is subjectively reexperienced at retrieval, would be more fluent or familiar than when it was first learned and would thus lead to an increase in perceived validity. Using a method to indirectly poll the perceived truth of factual statements, our experiment demonstrated that information retrieved from memory does indeed give rise to an illusion of truth. The effect was larger than when statements were explicitly repeated twice and was of comparable size to when statements were repeated 4 times. We conclude that memory retrieval is a powerful method for increasing the perceived validity of statements (and subsequent illusion of truth) and that the illusion of truth is a robust effect that can be observed even without directly polling the factual statements in question. (Contains 1 table, 1 footnote and 1 figure.)
Descriptors: Memory, Familiarity, Validity, Experimental Psychology, Effect Size, Recall (Psychology), Foreign Countries, Inferences, Comparative Analysis, Likert Scales, Repetition, Responses
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Canada
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A