True, false or uncertain? Determinants of memory for truth value feedback

• Applicant: Dr. Lena Nadarevic
• Subject Area: General, Cognitive and Mathematical Psychology
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 451722987

In today's media age, people are exposed to a vast amount of information. However, not all information is reliable (e.g. gossip, social media postings or dubious media reports) and sometimes even completely false information (fake news) is circulated. In this context the question arises how people mentally represent the truth value of information. Own research supports the assumption of the so-called "Cartesian model" that truth values are encoded in the form of "true" or "false" references that are attached to the mental memory representation of the information. Moreover, this research suggests that this coding is not mandatory, but optional. Based on the assumption of an optional coding of "true" and "false" references, the goal of the planned project is to investigate determinants of memory for truth-value information. This will be accomplished by memory experiments that require participants to learn statements and associated truth-value feedback ("true" or "false") and that assess both statement and feedback memory in a subsequent test phase. In order to separate statement memory processes, feedback memory processes and guessing processes from each other, the data will be analyzed using a multinomial processing tree model. The focus of interest is a comparison of the feedback-memory parameters for "true" feedback and "false" feedback. A total of three experimental series are planned, each of which will examine one the following, potential determinants of "true" and "false" feedback memory: (1) characteristics of the presented information, (2) characteristics of the encoding context and (3) characteristics of the truth-value feedback. It is expected that the results will provide answers to the question, which mechanisms underlie memory for truth value information. It is also expected that the project will help to better understand why false information is often misremembered as true and how memory for the falsity of information can be increased.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants