Memory Activity False Memories

False Memory Activity

Tell learners that you are going to read a list of words to them.  

They are to write down as many words as they can remember when you are finished reading and say, “Go!”  

The words can be in any order.  

Then read the words below, at a rate of approximately one per second.

bed
rest
awake
tired
dream
wake
snooze

blanket

doze 

slumber

snore
nap
peace
yawn
drowsy
When you have finished reading the words, ask how many remembered the word bed?  

This is an example of primacy effect, which they should already be familiar with.  

Then ask how many remembered drowsy (recency).  

Ask them to raise their hands when doing this and then look around the room, because this lets them see that they are like everyone else with their memories.  

Then ask who remembered the word SLEEP.  

Have them raise their hands and look around the room.  

Then tell them the word SLEEP was not on the list.  

You can re-read the list or show them the words on a Powerpoint.  

Many will not believe that you didn’t say SLEEP, since their memory for it was so strong!

Roediger, H. L., m., & McDermott, K. B. (1995). Creating false memories: Remembering words not
presented in lists. Joumal of Experimental Psychology