Production Indices of False Recall and False Recognition for Associative, Ad Hoc, and Taxonomic Lists Linked to a Common Critical Word in Spanish

The Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm is widely used to investigate false memories using word lists semantically related to a non-presented critical lure. This study compared false recall and false recognition rates elicited by associative, ad hoc, and taxonomic word lists, all related to the same critical word. A total of 210 Spanish word lists (70 per type) were tested in two independent experiments with university students (Experiment 1, n = 416; Experiment 2, n = 365). Associative lists elicited the highest levels of false recall and false recognition. No significant differences emerged between taxonomic and ad hoc lists. The recognition task produced more false memories than free recall across all list types. High variability was observed in each list’s ability to produce false memories. Semantic structure plays a critical role in memory distortion. The strong associative links in associative lists promote automatic activation and false memory formation more than the looser semantic relationships found in ad hoc or taxonomic lists. This study provides a comprehensive set of validated Spanish-language materials and offers empirical support for the influence of semantic relations on false memory production.