Inducing false memories by manipulating memory self-efficacy

The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between self-efficacy and false memories using the Deese/Roediger–McDermott (DRM) paradigm, whereby people falsely remember words not presented in lists. In two studies participants were presented with DRM lists and asked to recall and recognize presented items. In the first study, we found a significant relationship between memory self-efficacy (MSE) and susceptibility to associative memory illusions, both in recall and recognition. They also received the Memory Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (MSEQ), the Big Five Questionnaire (BFQ) and the backward digit span (BDS) test. In the second study, MSE was manipulated in order to assess whether changes influenced the sensitivity parameter in DRM tasks. Results showed that the manipulation was effective in decreasing self-efficacy, which in turn affected the probability of reporting critical lures as well as sensitivity. Possible explanations for the effect are discussed.