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Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the role of emotion and working memory capacity (WMC) on false memory by measuring memory sensitivity independently of response bias. We used the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm in which arousal levels were kept constant across positive, negative, and neutral word lists associated with unstudied critical lures. Participants' WMC was measured by the Operation Span Task. Although negative critical lures generated significantly more false recognition (i.e., false-alarm rates) compared to positive or neutral ones, Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis based on signal detection theory showed that this effect could be ascribed to shifts in bias rather than actual memory sensitivity. Data revealed that the DRM effect is a robust illusion influenced by neither emotion nor WMC in terms of memory sensitivity. However, negative words led to a prominent increase in liberal bias to say "old" for both critical and noncritical lures. Furthermore, reaction time (RT) data suggested that mentally activated but actually unstudied critical lures were monitored as old words and that participants were faster to accept negative critical lures than positive or neutral ones, suggesting that the DRM illusion was clearly reflected on the RT data as well. These results were discussed emphasizing the role of negative emotion on response bias in recognition memory.
Keywords False memory · Emotion · Working memory · Response bias
Introduction
Considering that human memory is selective, which information is to be stored or retrieved is an important question. Emotional events are often experienced in a more detailed and vivid manner than common neutral events, and thereby have special importance in human memory processing (Kensinger, 2008). There is substantial evidence showing that emotion boosts memory accuracy, and individuals often remember more emotional events compared to neutral ones (see Kensinger & Schacter, 2008, for a review). Memory enhancement for emotional (especially negative and highly arousing) items can be observed for different study materials and different test procedures employed in laboratory settings (e.g., Boǧa et al., 2021; Bowen et al., 2016; Cahill & McGaugh, 1995; Dougal & Rotello, 2007; Kapucu et al., 2008). Indeed, emotion influences memory outcomes not only quantitatively but also qualitatively. Participants may retrieve a greater amount of detailed and vivid memories for emotional than for neutral items (Kensinger & Corkin, 2003). Yet,...