Laney et al.

Question 1

Explain false memory

Answer 1

Having memories for things that never happened.
When we remember something, we are reconstructing it back into our working memory which causes us to fill in the gaps - sometimes with false information

Question 2

Overall aim

Answer 2

Can you make someone have a false memory of liking asparagus?
- What affects does this have on behaviour/attitude

Question 3

Hypothesis

Answer 3

• it is possible to emplant a false memory that someone likes asparagus
• This will make them rate it higher desirability.

Question 4

Experiment 1 aim

Answer 4

whether giving false feedback that Pp loved asparagus as a kid would generate a false memory or belief.

Question 5

Sample size of experiment 1

Answer 5

128

Question 6

Sample details of experiment 1

Answer 6

• 77% female
• course credit

Question 7

sample size experiment 2

Answer 7

-103
- 62% female

Question 8

sample technique for both experiments

Answer 8

volunteer

Question 9

Experiment 2 aim

Answer 9

to see if whether the Pp believes/has a false memory would make the very sight of asparagus more appealing
- also to replicate the results of the first experiment

Question 10

Experimental design

Answer 10

independant measures

Question 11

Where sample exp 1 was from

Answer 11

Universtiy of California

Question 12

Where the sample in exp 2 was from

Answer 12

university of washington

Question 13

type of study

Answer 13

self report - questionnaire

Question 14

how long between sessions? (both exp)

Answer 14

approx 1 week

Question 15

False aim for exp 1

Answer 15

they’d be finding out whether food preferences and personality had a correlation

Question 16

IVs

Answer 16

• love group
• control group
• believers
• non-believers

Question 17

DV

Answer 17

answers to critical questions on the questionnaires

Question 18

Profile/feedback given in Exp 1

Answer 18

• you disliked spinach
• you enjoyed fried foods
• you liked when a classmate bought sweets to school
• (for love group only) you enjoyed cooked asparagus as a kid

Question 19

Feedback on exp 2

Answer 19

same as first exp, except, “you loved asparagus the first time you ate it”

Question 20

Issues with RQ and measuring likelihood of eating certain foods

Answer 20

social desirability bias - choosing healthier options to appear better

Question 21

Operationalisation of “believer”

Answer 21

had a belief that the situation occured, but no memory - had a low FHI for asparagus which increased in session 2

Question 22

Questionnaires in experiment 1 session 1

Answer 22

• food history inventory (FHI) 24 items
• Restaurant questionnaire (RQ) 32 items
• 3 filler questionnnaires

(personality & eating habits)

Question 23

Questionnaires in Experiment 1, session 2

Answer 23

(repeated): FHI and RQ
+ food preferences questionnaire (FPQ) 62 items
+ food costs questionnaire (FCQ)
+ Memory or belief (MBQ)

all rated 1-8

Question 24

Experiment 1 conclusions

Answer 24

• Pp can be led to frame false beliefs, and these have an affect on behaviours

Question 25

Experiment 2 conlcusions

Answer 25

same as experiment 1 + when looking at preferences from food images

Question 26

Questionnaires experiment 2, session 1

Answer 26

(same as experiment 1) FHI, RQ, 3x fillers

Question 27

Questionnaires experiment 2, session 2

Answer 27

food images slideshow

Question 28

describe food images slideshow

Answer 28

- 20 slides common foods - 4 questions on each slide: How appetising? how disgusting? What level are the photographs? artistic quality

Question 29

GENERAL CONCLUSIONS

Answer 29

- it is possible to implant false memories and beliefs for a positive childhood experience, *such as* liking asparagus for the first time tried - these false memories and beliefs are associated with positive attitudinal and behvioural consquences

Question 30

Generalisability

Answer 30

positive: - large sample - volunteer Negative: - all got course credit - mostly female - all from same universities

Question 31

Reliability

Answer 31

positive - standardised questionnaires, profiles - operationalised "believers" - test-retest reliability with part repition of procedures

Question 32

Application

Answer 32

- mental disorders - in implanting positive memories to help anxiety (GAD) or phobias - cancer patients recovering from Chemo - in helping them eat foods without associating it with feeling unwell

Question 33

Validity

Answer 33

positive - quantitative data used - easy to compare - false aims given to lessen demand characteristics - lab experiment - removed those who liked asparagus to begin with - assured Pp had embedded profiles in sessions 2 Negative: - psychology students used - more likely to seek out real aims - low ecological validity - social desirability bias in RQ

Question 34

Ethics

Answer 34

positive: - debrief given - right to withdraw - no physical harm Negative: - psychological harm - unsure long-term effects - deception - unable full informed consent - deception - course credit - less likely to withdraw