Citation

Campbell MA, Porter S. Can. J. Behav. Sci. 2002; 34(4): 217-229.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, Canadian Psychological Association, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1037/h0087174

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The present study evaluated how well people are able to identify completely mistaken emotional memories from childhood. Further, possible individual differences, including personality/interpersonal traits and cue utilization strategies, contributing to this ability were examined. 137 participants (aged 17-34 yrs) viewed videos of true and mistaken childhood memory reports and judged whether the target had actually experienced the described event.

RESULTS indicate that 60% of judges accurately identified mistaken memories (greater than chance) and 53% accurately identified true memories (performing at chance). Compared to inaccurate judges, accurate judges were interpersonally less unassuming-ingenuous and more arrogant-calculating and aloof-introverted. Accurate judges also reported using more overall cues to formulate their judgments than inaccurate judges. Brief exposure to information about empirically based cues to mistaken memories prior to veracity judgments impaired rather than facilitated judgment ability. Implications for credibility assessment in applied settings and future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Keywords

Cues; Emotional Content; Individual Differences; Judgment; Memory; Personality Traits; Strategies