I can't take credit for this- it was circulated around the dept.
over the holidays but I thought cognitive folks would find it
interesting, it will have *some* teaching relevence, and will open
up a history question after I reveal the answer. I'll take
private responses and post the answer in a day or two.
Most of you who teach Cognitive or even Intro, are probably
familiar with the Deese/Roediger & McDermott false memory paradigm.
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Ok, Here is the puzzle: Identify the quote below, from a prominent
psychology journal. Can you give me the author, journal, and date? The
observations reported were incidental to the main findings for which
the paper is known (to the extent that it is known).
Hint: The correct answer is not Deese, Roediger, or McDermott.
"There were some incidental illustrations of false recognition. About a
week previously in experimenting upon mental imagery I had pronounced to
the students ten common words. Many of these were recalled and placed with
the memory list. Again, it appears that when such words as "spool,"
"thimble," "knife," were pronounced many students at once thought of "thread,
"needle", "fork," which are so frequently associated with them. The result was
that many gave those words as belonging to the list. This is an excellent
illustration of how things suggested to a person by an experience may be
honestly reported by him as part of the experience."
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Patrick O. Dolan Voice: 314-935-8731
Department of Psychology Fax: 314-935-7588
Washington University
Campus Box 1125
One Brookings Drive
St. Louis, MO 63130-4899
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