Evaluating the Efficacy of Detection Instructions on Additive and Contradictory Misinformation in Older and Younger Adults Using Eyewitnessed Visual Scenes

<p>Exposure to misleading details about a previous event can become incorporated into memory—a pattern termed the <em>misinformation effect</em>. Recently, researchers have found evidence for two types of misinformation which differ qualitatively in how they relate to details presented in the initial event. Contradictory misinformation refers to suggested details that directly contrast specific details that were presented within the witnessed event. Additive misinformation refers to suggested details that supplement a witnessed event, but do not contrast a specific detail. My thesis evaluated whether misinformation is reduced following a strong warning to detect and highlight misinformation compared to no warning and whether misinformation reductions depend upon misinformation type. Further, age-related detection effects were evaluated by comparing groups of cognitively normal older adults to younger adults given older adults often show declines in controlled attentional processes that can compromise episodic memory and to produce larger misinformation effects. Finally, my thesis utilized video materials to bolster external validity. No difference was found in suggestibility to additive or contradictory misinformation types overall. However, older adults were more suggestible on a source recognition test. Importantly, when older adults were given a warning to detect misinformation, they were able to reduce misinformation to the same low level as younger adults without instructions. Collectively, instructions to detect misinformation are effective at reducing misinformation for additive and contradictory types, and particularly so for older adults.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters Thesis

Year dc:date.available

2024

Author dc:creator

• Mazela, Monika

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Mark Huff
• Dr. Lin Agler
• Dr. Laura Gulledge

Repository record dc:identifier

https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/1040

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:aquila.usm.edu:masters_theses-2098