The effect of memory instructions on within- and between-language false memory

We examined the effect of memory instructions on false memory using the Deese/
Roediger–McDermott paradigm in second-language learners. Participants studied lists
of words in L1 and L2 (e.g., note, sound, piano : : : ) associatively related to a non-presented
critical lure (e.g., MUSIC). In a later recognition test, critical lures appeared in the same or
the other language of their lists (i.e., within- and between-language conditions). In
Experiment 1, participants should only endorse an item when study and test languages
matched (i.e., restrictive instructions); that is, they should retrieve language information.
In Experiment 2, participants should endorse studied items regardless of the language (i.e.,
inclusive instructions). With restrictive instructions, false recognition was higher in
within- than between-language conditions, whereas with inclusive instructions, this result
was replicated only when words were studied in L1, but not L2. Results suggested that
second-language learners show false memory in their L2 and that the effect of language
shift on false recognition depended on the study language.
This study was partially conducted at the Psychology Research Centre (CIPsi/UM) School of Psychology, University of Minho, supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the Portuguese State Budget (UIDB/01662/2020), and partially supported by the University of Salamanca and Banco Santander through a pre-doctoral research contract attributed to MS.