Publications [#252756] of Elizabeth J. Marsh

Journal Articles

1. Fazio, LK; Barber, SJ; Rajaram, S; Ornstein, PA; Marsh, EJ (2012). Creating illusions of knowledge: Learning errors that contradict prior knowledge. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 142(1), 1-5. [doi]
   (last updated on 2024/04/19)

   Abstract:
   Most people know that the Pacific is the largest ocean on Earth and that Edison invented the light bulb. Our question is whether this knowledge is stable, or if people will incorporate errors into their knowledge bases, even if they have the correct knowledge stored in memory. Subjects answered general knowledge questions two weeks before reading stories that contained errors (e.g., “Franklin invented the light bulb”). On a later general knowledge test, subjects reproduced story errors despite previously answering the questions correctly. This misinformation effect was found even for questions that were answered correctly on the initial test with the highest level of confidence. Illusions of knowledge do not depend on ignorant learners; errors can enter the knowledge base even when learners have the knowledge necessary to catch the errors.