Bilingualism and false memories: Post-event misinformation effect and DRM paradigm

False memory (FM) is delineated as a cognitive phenomenon where a subject recalls or recollects an actual occurrence in a manner distinct from how it happened, or in certain instances, events that never happened at all. Scholars commonly employ two analytical frameworks: the post-event misinformation effect, and the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm. The former deals with the deformation effect caused by distorted information presented after experiencing an event, while the latter pertains to remembering a memory involving the observation or hearing of a word (referred to as "critical lure") that, in reality, has not been encountered during memory assessment. First aim of this research is to examine the relationship between the DRM paradigm and the misinformation effect. Second, Turkish FM scores were compared between bilinguals and monolinguals. Last, the effect of the language spoken by bilingual participants (Kurdish or Turkish) on their FM scores was examined. The sample group consists of 100 Kurdish-Turkish bilingual (48 women), and 90 monolingual Turkish participants (63 women) from the province of Mardin, between the ages of 18-45. DRM Paradigm Word List Task, Post-Event Misinformation Effect Task were employed in both Turkish and Kurdish to collect data. The materials were presented on the computer screen through timed slide shows and voice-overs. The results indicate no relationship between DRM and misinformation effect. When DRM paradigm FM scores were compared, monolinguals had higher scores in Turkish than bilinguals, and bilinguals had significantly higher scores in Turkish than Kurdish. Neither bilingual nor language effect was observed on the scores of the misinformation effect task. The results revealed gender effect, as well. Bilingual women experienced more misinformation effect than bilingual men, and bilingual females showed higher scores than bilingual males in Kurdish DRM false memory. Findings indicate that DRM false memory rate increases in the dominant language and that being bilingual reduces it. To explain the lack of relationship between false memory types, the approach of Activation-Monitoring Theory was adopted. Additionally, the difference between episodic memory and semantic memory was emphasized.