Most studies on the effect of sleep on false memories employed the Deese-Roediger-McDermott paradigm. 
- In 2009, Fenn et al. reported that participants who slept between the original presentation and the recognition test recognized fewer lures (performed better). 
- Also in 2009, Payne et al. used the same paradigm and tested recall. They found that the group with overnight retention recalled the lures more often than the group that was tested the same day. 
- Regarding misinformation, studies have shown that sleep deprived people are more likely to fall for misleading questions. 

Misinformation Susceptibility and Sleep: Contradicting Studies

One factor that could affect one's susceptibility to the misinformation effect is sleep. However, the research conducted on this relationship has yielded inconclusive results. 

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

- greater misinformation effects after a marginable delay initial presentation and misinformation, and when testing is after misinformation

Conditions that maximize misinformation effects

Misleading information that is presented to someone after witnessing event can change how they recall and explain that event. One common explanation is retroactive interference (new learning interfering with old memory/understanding)

Misinformation  Effect Paradigm

Calvillo, D., Parong, J., Peralta, B., Ocampo, D., & Van Gundy, R. (2016). Sleep Increases Susceptibility to the Misinformation Effect. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 30(6), 1061-1067. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3259

Sleep Increases Susceptibility to the Misinformation Effect

The Misinformation Effect and Sleep

Information presented after someone witnesses an event that is misleading and can potentially change their memory of that event. It is often problematic in criminal cases when witnesses are given MPI.

Misleading Postevent Information (MPI)

Gabbert, F., Memon, A., Allan, K., & Wright, D.B. (2004/2010). Say it to my face: Examining the effects of socially encountered misinformation. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 9(2), 215–227. https://doi.org/10.1348/1355325041719428

Say it to my face: Examining the effects of socially encountered misinformation

Aging and the Misinformation Effect: A Neuropsychological Analysis

Methods for Studying the Misinformation Effect

Since self-confidence and memory are positively linked, it is thought that a positive self-image should be linked to lower susceptibility to the misinformation effect. This hypothesis assumes that susceptibility to misinformation is at least in part due to a lack of confidence in one's memories. 

Positive feedback to protect against the misinformation effect

The idea that memory reports become contaminated with information coming from sources other than the original

Memory Misinformation Effect

The idea that the misinformation effect can occur without memory distortions or source monitoring errors

Non-Memory Misinformation Effect

An intervention to the misinformation effect consisting of the addition of a warning after the presentation of misleading information. Post-warnings intend to encourage less reliance on information presented after an event.

Misinformation Effect Interventions: Post-warnings

- Memory impairment 
- Biased responding
- Source misattribution
- Memory conversion processes

Misinformation Effect: Mechanisms

False memories germinated from misinformation that an individual whole-heartedly believed in and can provide emotional, sensational, and factual details when recalling. 


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