Credibility assessment to perceived and imagined memory descriptions

The effects of preparation on perceived and imagined memory descriptions were examined in previous research (Manzanero & Diges, in press). Preparation produced more detailed reports for both internal and external memories, but also it reduces statements’ qualities. Now, descriptions of imagined and perceived events under two different preparation levels were given to be discriminated respect of their origin (source monitoring judgments). Results showed descriptions were more likely to be attributed by judges to perception than to imagination if descriptions contained moderate levels of sensorial and contextual details than if they contained high or low levels of sensorial and contextual details. Moreover, people use some of the same cues to judge the source of other people’s memory descriptions as they use in making attributions about the source of their own memories.