Effects of Contextual Cues on False Memory: A Comparative Experimental Approach

Research on false memory formation using the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm has been extensively conducted in Western contexts. Yet, a significant gap remains in experimental investigations within South Asian populations, particularly in Pakistan. Existing studies, such as those on the Visual Mandela Effect, have explored collective false memories; however, they lack controlled experimental manipulation of contextual variables. To address this gap, the study examined the impact of contextual cues, both visual and auditory, and the effect of no contextual cues, on false memory formation. Sixty participants (aged 18–40) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: Visual and Auditory Cues, Visual Cues only, and Word List only. Each group was presented with three semantically themed DRM word lists across three recall blocks. A between-subjects one-way ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences in the recall of critical lures across groups, with the highest false memory incidence observed in the combined cue condition, [F (2,57) = 14.505, p < .001, η² = .337]. Post hoc analyses further confirmed that exposure to multimodal cues significantly increased susceptibility to false memories compared to the control condition. However, a repeated-measures of ANOVA indicated no significant change in critical lure recall across the three blocks within groups. Additionally, the control group demonstrated higher accurate recall and lower intrusion rates. These findings underscore the role of sensory contextual cues in modulating memory distortion and contribute novel cross-cultural evidence to the literature on memory and cognition. The study holds implications for legal, clinical, and educational settings where memory accuracy is critical. References Ahmed, W., Imtiaz, K., Muzammil, M., & Khan, S. M. (2025). 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