11 research outputs found
The effect of alcohol and repetition at encoding on implicit and explicit false memories
Rationale Alcohol impairs explicit memory, whilst leaving
implicit memory relatively intact. Less is known about its
effects on false memories.
Aim The present study examines the effects of alcohol on
explicit and implicit false memories using study list
repetition as a tool for modulating learning at encoding.
Methods Thirty-two participants were given either an
alcohol (0.6 g/kg) or placebo beverage before undergoing
an encoding phase consisting of 10 lists of nine associated
words (veridical items). Each list was associated to a word,
which was not presented at encoding (semantically associated
non-studied lure; critical item), serving as the measure
for false memory. Half of the lists were presented once, and
half were repeated three times. The next day, participants
underwent an implicit (stem completion and post hoc
awareness measurements), and an explicit (free recall) task.
Results Alcohol decreased veridical and false explicit
memory for singularly presented lists compared to placebo;
no group difference existed for repeated lists. Implicit
veridical memory was not affected by alcohol. Awareness
memory measures demonstrated in placebo participants an
increased ability with repetition in rejecting false memories.
The reverse was found in intoxicated participants who with
repetition accepted more false memories.
Conclusion Alcohol appears to decrease semantic activation
leading to a decline in false memories. Increased
learning with repetition, which increases the rejection of
false memories under placebo, is reversed under alcohol
leading to a decrease in rejection of false memories. The
latter effect of alcohol may be due to its ability to impair
monitoring processes established at encoding