Graduation Term

2023

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Department of Psychology

Committee Chair

Dawn M McBride

Abstract

The present study investigated the conditions in which stereotype-based beliefs elicit the creation of false memories for information consistent with racial-occupational expectations and the extent to which attentional depletion increases this likelihood. This was examined in the context of racial-occupational stereotypes for White and Latino individuals. Participants were presented with pictures of faces paired with stereotype-consistent and -inconsistent occupational information. One group of participants was exposed to these stimuli while also completing an additional task designed to divide their attention. Their memory for these pairings was tested in both an immediate and delayed recognition test. Due to the social reliance on categorical-based pre-conceptions to facilitate information processing when cognitive resources are limited, it was hypothesized that the group in the divided-attention condition would produce a higher rate of stereotype-consistent false memories than the group under full attention. Results showed that both attention conditions produced similar false memory rates. However, participants displayed a propensity to generate expectancy-consistent false memories both after an immediate and delayed recognition test taken 7 days later.

Access Type

Thesis-Open Access

DOI

https://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2023.20231004061827874917.999989

Download

Share

COinS