Memory discrimination for self-performed and imagined acts: Bizarreness effects in false recognition

Two experiments investigated the susceptibility of common and unusual actio n events to memory distortion under incidental learning and delayed testing conditions. Experiment 1 tested the influence of imaginal and enactment in structions at testing on memory discrimination for self-performed and imagi ned acts. The influence of hypnotic procedures at testing on memory discrim ination for action events was tested in Experiment 2. The results of both e xperiments suggest that the likelihood of confusing details associated with separate, previously experienced unusual action events is greater than the likelihood of confusing details associated with separate, previously exper ienced common action events. Based on the results of both experiments, it i s concluded that bizarreness has both memory-facilitating and memory-inhibi ting qualities.