Episodic memory and information processing performance as a mechanism underlying the fabrication of false narratives

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the contribution of past experiences to the fabrication of false statements, as proposed by the Working Memory Model of Deception and the Information Manipulation Theory 2 (IMT2). Divergent and convergent thinking were also analyzed as cognitive functions involved. A sample of 142 participants completed the Remote Association Test (RAT) and the Alternative Uses Task (AUT). Participants were asked to either recall or fabricate a false account of sexual assault. Finally, the study examined the use of prior memory in fabricated accounts and the contribution of convergent and divergent thinking. The accounts were analyzed based on the amount of core and peripheral details. The results suggest differences between memory recall and episodic simulation tasks concerning divergent thinking. Additionally, episodic memory contributed to the level of detail in the fabricated accounts, consistent with prior literature. Forensic implications highlight witness cognitive mechanisms in the analysis of statements.