Convergent, but not divergent, thinking predicts susceptibility to associative memory illusions

Abstract

The relationship between creativity and susceptibility to associative memory illusions in the Deese/Roediger-McDermott procedure was investigated using a multiple regression analysis. Susceptibility to false recognition was significantly predicted by performance on a measure of convergent thinking (the Remote Associates Task) but not by performance on a measure of divergent thinking (the Alternative Uses Task). These findings suggest that the ability to engage in convergent (but not divergent) thinking underlies some of the individual variation in susceptibility to associative memory illusions by influencing the automaticity with which critical lures are activated at encoding. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.