Effects of modality: examining the influence of auditory and visual formats on false recognition

Abstract

The present study investigated the effects of modality (method of presentation) on false memory. It was hypothesized that an auditory format (audio tape) would produce a significantly greater incidence of false memory than a visual format (PowerPoint). A convenience sample of 33 undergraduate students participated in this experiment. The participants either viewed a set of word lists on a PowerPoint presentation or listened to the same word lists on audio tape. Each list was followed by a 2-minute recognition task. An independent samples t-test revealed no significant differences in recognition between the two modalities.