Distinguishing between high-confidence true and false memories: evidence from eye movements

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: Memory confidence tends to be positively related to accuracy. However, false memory that fits well with the theme of an experience can also produce high-confidence responses. How to distinguish between high-confidence true and false recognition is unknown. The current study used eye movements to measure the retrieval processes of retrieval cues (i.e., item and theme) on recognition confidence and accuracy. Method: Participants (N = 30, Mage = 21.13 ± 2.06, 15 males) studied four visual thematic scenes, and after a filler task, took an item-theme recognition test in which their eye movements were recorded. Results: The gaze behaviour could distinguish between high-confidence true and false recognition. High-confidence false recognition was associated with longer fixation duration on item and theme, and more regression counts on theme as compared to high-confidence true recognition. Conclusion: High-confidence false recognition, compared to high-confidence true recognition, may have a weaker memory strength, such that more time-consuming and effortful retrieval-related monitoring processes were required before making a decision. The gaze behaviour based on both item and theme implied these processes. Thus, tracking eye movements during the identification may help evaluate whether a high-confidence recognition is true or false. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic? False memories occur when people rely on the theme of an experience. The unexperienced item (e.g., “beach ball”) which is contextually associated with the theme (e.g., “beach scene”) of the experience can be recognized as “old”. Memory confidence tends to be positively related to accuracy. However, false memory that fits well with the theme of an experience can also produce high-confidence responses. Gaze behaviour recorded at retrieval can serve as indices of memory-related processing: previously viewed items had shorter fixation duration relative to high-interference novel items. What does this paper add? This study is the first to provide evidence suggesting that eye movements on either item cue or theme cue can differentiate between high-confidence true and false recognition. Compared to high-confidence true recognition, high-confidence false recognition was associated with longer fixation duration on item and theme. These results suggest that the time-consuming retrieval-related processes are based on both item and theme retrieval. High-confidence false recognition was related to more regression counts on theme than high-confidence true recognition, suggesting that inflated confidence of false recognition may be associated with more effortful retrieval-related monitoring processes.