Measuring shared knowledge with group false memory

Yoshiko Arima,Yosuke Hattori,Ryoji Yukihiro

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-28347-4

Abstract

We conducted two experiments to investigate the effects of word list consistency and group collaboration on false memory. Using the DRM (Deese-Roediger-McDermott) paradigm, the first experiment (n = 121) examined false memory in a group; participants collaborated to select keywords using a between-subject condition of a consistent or randomized word list. The proportion of false responses was larger than that of error responses, especially for the consistent word list condition (p < 0.001), and group collaboration increased false recognition for both word lists (p < 0.001). Using an applied within-subject word list condition, the second experiment (n = 119) confirmed the results of Experiment 1. Furthermore, individual differences Euclidean distance model analysis revealed a difference in the shared cognitive dimension related to group false memory.

Highlights

This study explored the relationship between shared knowledge structure and group false memory
There were more false responses than error responses on the pre-test, and false responses increased after group collaboration more than error responses did
Experiment 1 showed that participants tended to produce more false responses for the consistent word lists than for the randomized word lists

Summary

Introduction

This study explored the relationship between shared knowledge structure and group false memory. Based on a study by Deese[1], which showed that people sometimes recalled words that were not present in but were associated with word lists, Roediger and McDermott[2] determined an experimental paradigm of false memory called the DRM (Deese-Roediger-McDermott). A basic assumption of the present study is that false memory in a group can be an index of shared cognition because it occurs only if all group members fail to detect an error. The purposes of this study were to investigate the conditions under which collaborative groups produced false memories and to explore the relationship between group false memory and shared knowledge structure. Based on the activation-monitoring hypothesis, we assume that false memory depends on the strength of the critical word as a semantic cue at the moment of encoding. ‘Shared knowledge structure’ refers to the intersection of group members’ knowledge structures

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Conclusion