Memory Verification Decisions

Abstract

Autobiographical memories are precious, they shape our identity, guide our thinking and behaviour, and facilitate social bonds in both helpful and unhelpful ways. However, our memory does not function like a video-recorder as we might hope, rather memory is highly vulnerable to error and often goes un-questioned. The present study investigated the role of memory function and individuals’ willingness to question their memories. Adult participants (N = 329) were asked to recall either a positive or a negative memory in detail. They were then required to rate their nominated memory on a range of memory function statements, followed by answering questions related to how willing they would be to question their memory and providing strategies for verifying their nominated memory if its accuracy was called into question. Lastly, they rated their nominated strategies on both perceived reliability, cost, and how likely it would be that they would employ these strategies in the future. In line with our hypotheses, the majority of participants had not previously questioned the validity of their memory and were unwilling to question their memory in the future. When examining the influence of memory function, results indicated that memory function was associated with verification in various ways. Specifically, the more helpful the memory was perceived to be, participants provided higher perceived reliability ratings for the strategies they would use to nominate their memories, lower perceived cost ratings, and overall, reported that they were less likely to use these strategies in the future. Overall, the findings of the present study demonstrate that despite the fallibility of memory, individuals are often reluctant to question the accuracy of their memory, and it is memory function that is a potential driver of this reluctance.