Comparing recollective experience in true and false autobiographical memories

This study investigated whether true autobiographical memories are qualitat ively distinct from false autobiographical memories using a variation of th e interview method originally reported by E. F. Loftus and J. Pickrell (199 5). Participants recalled events provided by parents on 3 separate occasion s and were asked to imagine true and false unremembered events. True memori es were rated by both participants and observers as more rich in recollecti ve experience and were rated by participants as more important, more emotio nally intense, as having clearer imagery, and as less typical than false me mories. Rehearsal frequency was used as a covariate, eliminating these effe cts. Imagery in true memories was most often viewed from the field perspect ive, whereas imagery in false memories was most often viewed from the obser ver perspective. More information was communicated in true memories, and tr ue memories contained more information concerning the consequences of descr ibed events. Results suggest repeated remembering can make false memories m ore rich in recollective experience and more like true memories. Difference s between true and false memories suggest some potentially distinct charact eristics of false memories and provide insight into the process of false me mory creation.