Behavioral characteristics of false memory in individuals with depressed mood based on misinformation paradigm

Abstract

Objective To explore the characteristics of false memory of life events with different emotional valence in individuals with depressed mood. Methods Self-rating depression scale (SDS) was used to recruit 30 subjects (depression group, n=30) from Army Medical University with depression and 30 normal controls (control group, n=30). Nine self-designed life events vignettes with different emotional valence (positive, neutral and negative) were adopted as experimental materials. In order to measure the veridical and false memory of the original events, the subjects were presented with the original event information and misinformation successively using the misinformation paradigm, and then recognition test was conducted. The endorsement rates for the correct and misleading options were recorded during the recognition test and subsequently analyzed. Descriptive statistics, repeated ANOVA and post-hoc tests were performed on the experimental data. Results ① For both groups, the endorsement rates for misinformation options were significantly higher than those for foil options (P < 0.05). ② The overall endorsement rates for misinformation options were remarkably elevated in the depression group (P < 0.05). ③ Compared with the depression group, the control group had greatly increased endorsement rates for correct options (P < 0.05). ④For negative life events, the depression group showed elevated endorsement rates for misinformation options than the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion Misinformation paradigm can reliably create false memories, and individuals under depressed mood present obviously more mood-congruent false memories of negative life events.

Keywords

• false memory
• misinformation
• depression
• emotion