Reducing the Misinformation Effect Through Initial Testing: Take Two Tests and Recall Me in the Morning?

Abstract

Initial retrieval of an event can reduce people's susceptibility to misinformation. We explored whether protective effects of initial testing could be obtained on final free recall and source-monitoring tests. After studying six household scenes (e.g.,a bathroom), participants attempted to recall items from the scenes zero, one, or two times. Immediately or after a 48-hour delay, non-presented items (e.g.,soap and toothbrush) were exposed zero, one, or four times through a social contagion manipulation in which participants reviewed sets of recall tests ostensibly provided by other participants. A protective effect of testing emerged on a final free recall test following the delay and on a final source-memory test regardless of delay. Taking two initial tests did not increase these protective effects. Determining whether initial testing will have protective (versus harmful) effects on memory has important practical implications for interviewing eyewitnesses.