The goal of this line of research is to understand how and why memory becomes distorted— why we mistakenly remember related ideas or events as if they are the ones we actually experienced. In a series of studies, we have examined how rapidly memory false memories can occur, what kinds of processing strategies and sensory conditions can promote or prevent inaccurate memories, their underlying neural mechanisms and how they change due to age.
Additional Readings:
- Olszewska, J.M., Reuter-Lorenz, P.A., Munier, E., & Bendler, S.A. (2015, in press). Misremembering what you see or hear: Dissociable effects of modality on short- and long-term false recognition. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory & Cognition.
- Flegal, K. E., & Reuter-Lorenz, P.A. (2014). Get the gist? The effects of processing depth on false recognition in short-term and long-term memory. Memory and Cognition. 42 (5), 701-711. PMID: 24395065
- MacDuffie, K., Atkins, A., Flegal, K.E., Clark, C.M., Reuter-Lorenz, P.A. (2012). Memory distortion in Alzheimer’s disease: Deficient monitoring of short and long-term memory. Neuropsychology. 26 (4), 509-516. PMID: 22746309.
- Atkins, A. & Reuter-Lorenz, P.A. (2011). Neural mechanisms of semantic interference and false recognition in short term memory, Neuroimage. Jun 1; 56(3): 1726-34. PMID: 21349335
- Atkins, A. S., Berman, M. G., Reuter-Lorenz, P.A., Lewis, R. L., Jonides, J. (2011). Resolving semantic and proactive interference in working memory, Memory and Cognition. Jul; 39(5): 806-17 PMID: 21327614
- Flegal, K., Atkins, A., & Reuter-Lorenz, P.A. (2010). False memories seconds later: The rapid and compelling onset of illusory recognition. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning Memory and Cognition, 6 (5), 1331-1338. PMID: 20804300
- Atkins, A. & Reuter-Lorenz, P.A. (2008). False working memories?: Memory distortions in a mere four seconds. Memory and Cognition, 36, 74-81. PMID: 18323064