Westerberg, C. E., & Marsolek, C. J.
Signal detection analyses of recognition memory indicate that a bias to respond “old” is large for “critical” words that are centrally related with previously encoded word lists, is smaller for words that are less related, and is not observed for unrelated words. Also, recognition sensitivity has not previously been shown to differ between those conditions, focusing debate over how to explain false recognition on the bias differences. In three experiments, critical-word sensitivity was lower than sensitivity for other word types, but related-word sensitivity was not lower than for unrelated words. Extant models that predict reduced critical - word sensitivity also predict lower sensitivity for related words than for unrelated words. These results provide crucial new constraints on theoretical explanations of false memories.
Westerberg, C. E., & Marsolek, C. J. (2003-b). Sensitivity reductions in false recognition: A measure of false memories with stronger theoretical implications. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 29, 747-759.