The priming effect of creativity improves veridical memory in the Deese–Roediger–McDermott paradigm

Abstract

The priming effect on creativity refers to the more effective creation of new uses for the second (vs. first) object in a two-item task. This, along with veridical memory loss in the Deese–Roediger–McDermott (DRM) paradigm, is related to mental fixation, and both can be improved when attention is given to item-specific features. We studied the cognitive mechanism of this priming effect by utilizing the DRM paradigm with a sample of 91 undergraduates recruited from a university in China. We used a two-item task and the DRM paradigm under rapid and slow presentation conditions to verify our hypotheses by dividing words into high false memory (HFM) and low false memory (LFM) lists. The results showed that the veridical memory of the HFM lists was improved under the slow (vs. rapid) condition for individuals in the high priming effect group, but not for those in the low priming effect group. Implications are discussed.