In two experiments (ns = 26, 43), undergraduates heard four lists of words that were associated with a central concept not on the lists. Instructions were to recall as many words as possible (Free) or to fill all available spaces (Forced). False recall of the central concept was higher with Forced than with Free instructions in Exp. 2. Confidence was higher for correct than for false recall and lowest for other intrusions or was similar for false recall and intrusions (Exp. 2, Free). Results are related to the “false memory” debate.
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