Virtually True: Children's Acquisition of False Memories in Virtual Reality

Abstract

Previous work on human memory has shown that prompting participants with false events and self-relevant information via different types of media such as narratives, edited 2-dimensional images, and mental imagery creates false memories. This study tested a new form of media for studying false memory formation: Immersive Virtual Environment Technology (IVET). Using this tool, we examined how memory was affected by viewing dynamic simulations of avatars performing novel actions. In the study, 55 preschool and elementary children were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 memory prompt conditions (idle, mental imagery, IVET simulation of another child, or IVET simulation of self ). Each child was questioned 3 different times: once before the memory prompt, once immediately after the memory prompt, and once approximately 5 days after the memory prompt. Results showed that preschool children were equally likely to develop false memories regardless of memory prompt condition. But, for elementary children, the mental imagery and IVET self conditions caused significantly more false memories than the idle condition. Implications regarding the use of digital media in courtroom settings, clinical therapy settings, entertainment, and other applications are discussed.Human memory is imperfect, and while most memory errors do not garner national attention, some famous memory errors have made headlines in the last 20 years (Loftus, 2002). False memories of sexual abuse (arguably planted or elicited by therapists) led to large lawsuits in the 1990s and motivated an

Automatic Mental Processes, Automatic Actions and Behaviours in Game Transfer Phenomena: An Empirical Self-Report Study Using Online Forum Data

“…Source monitoring errors and false memories have been found in previous research relating to watching films (Roberts & Blades, 1999), narratives, and virtual worlds (Segovia & Bailenson, 2009). It could perhaps be speculated that since videogames can elicit emotions, memories can be enhanced that facilitate the occurrence of involuntary memories later on (Berntsen & Rubin, 2002).…”

“…Studies have demonstrated that the playing of videogames can have both intended (Brown et al, 1997) and unintended effects (Anderson & Dill, 2000;Beullens, Roe, & Van den Bulck, 2008). Scholars had speculated that transfer effects may be more pronounced if virtual reality mechanisms become more realistic (e.g., Persky & Blascovich, 2008;Tamborini et al, 2004), and immersive (Segovia & Bailenson, 2009). According to Johnson, Hashtroudi and Lindsay (1993), memories from virtual experiences are similar to real world memories because they are rich in perceptual detail (e.g., visual and auditory cues) and that facilitate their recall.…”

Increasing Saving Behavior Through Age-Progressed Renderings of the Future Self

“…Because imagination from the starting point of a graphical rendering may require less effort and attention than imagination from a blank slate, people may more easily imagine the future self when seeded with an image that is based on their present appearance (as the renderings in the experiment are). These studies were motivated, in part, by others who have used virtual reality as a tool (Blascovich and Bailenson 2011) for influencing: consumer behavior (Ahn and Bailenson, in press), health behavior (Fox and Bailenson 2009), financial decision making (Yee and Bailenson 2007), and memory (Segovia and Bailenson 2009). …”

Children and adults use attractiveness as a social cue in real people and avatars

“…Thus, we cannot be sure whether the attractiveness effects observed in these studies are similar to the classic attractiveness effects observed with real people in the literature. Lastly, although some research has used avatar methodologies with children (see Segovia & Bailenson, 2009), we do not know whether children perceive avatars based on attractiveness in ways that match their perceptions of real peers.…”