The role of language proficiency in producing false memories

- False memory was higher in participants' dominant language than in their non-dominant language.
- False memory increased with proficiency in participants' non-dominant language.
- These findings supports the role that automaticity of concept access plays in language proficiency effects on false memory.

We report three experiments examining the role that language proficiency plays in the production of false memory. We constructed Deese-Roediger-McDermott paradigm lists using both English and Spanish free association norms, which enabled us to control the associations between studied items and critical words. Experiment 1 showed that native English speakers who were learning Spanish produced more false memory when DRM critical words were studied and tested in English compared to Spanish. Experiment 2 showed that native Spanish speakers who were learning English produced more false memory when DRM critical words were studied and tested in Spanish compared to English. Experiment 3 showed that native Spanish speakers who were highly proficient in English produced more false memory for DRM critical words studied and tested in English compared to native Spanish speakers who were lower in English proficiency. Collectively, these results support the role that the automaticity of concept access plays in producing false memory.