ABSTRACT

False denial is a deceptive strategy that requires fewer cognitive resources than other strategies (e.g. simulating amnesia, fabrication). In the present experiment, we examined the effects of different types of false denials varying in cognitive load on memory. Participants (N = 159) watched a video (theft) and then answered some questions about it. Some participants had to tell the truth about the theft, while others were either asked to falsely deny all the event-related details (i.e. simple false denial) or to falsely deny just some details of the same event (i.e. complex false denial). After two days, all participants completed a memory task in which they truthfully recognized whether details were (i) discussed during the interview or (ii) seen in the video. Additionally, recall scores (i.e. correct details, omissions, commissions) of the memory for the event were assessed. Participants who falsely denied all details reported a higher memory impairment for the interview than the other groups. Interestingly, liars who were engaged in complex denying had the largest memory impairment for the event and reported more commissions than those in the simple false denial group. This experiment shows that under certain conditions, memory is increasingly impaired for high cognitive load lies.

摘要

虚假否认是一种欺骗性策略，与其他策略（例如，模拟失忆，捏造）相比，所需的认知资源更少。在本实验中，我们检查了认知负荷不同的不同类型的虚假否认对记忆的影响。参加人数 = 159）观看了一个视频（盗窃），然后回答了一些有关该视频的问题。一些参与者不得不说出有关盗窃的真相，而另一些参与者要么被要求错误地拒绝所有与事件相关的细节（即简单的错误拒绝），要么被错误地拒绝同一事件的某些细节（即复杂的错误拒绝）。两天后，所有参与者都完成了一项记忆任务，他们如实地认识到细节是（i）在访谈中讨论的，还是（ii）在视频中看到的。另外，评估了该事件的记忆的回忆分数（即正确的细节，遗漏，佣金）。虚假否认所有细节的参与者在访谈中报告的记忆力较其他群体更高。有趣的是 进行复杂否认的撒谎者对该事件的记忆力受损最大，并且报告的佣金高于简单虚假否认小组的撒谎者。该实验表明，在一定条件下，由于高认知负荷的存在，记忆力正日益受到损害。