Abstract
Research on memory distrust and nonbelieved memory (NBM) both stress the importance of belief in memory but no previous research has brought these fields together. In the present study, we examined how trait memory distrust is associated with false memory and NBM, self-esteem as well as personality traits. Through two studies (N1 = 280, N2 = 77, we found that higher memory distrust was associated with higher false memory as well as NBM frequency, and lower self-esteem. As for personality traits, people who were high on agreeableness, openness, or conscientiousness had lower memory distrust. Explorative mediation analyses showed significant indirect effects of self-esteem on false memory (Study 1a and Study 2) and NBM (Study 2) through memory distrust. We conclude that memory distrust could be conducive to the formation of false memory and NBM under social conditions where one's memory is challenged.
