Stump Annika, Wüstenberg Torsten, Rouder Jeffrey N, Voss Andreas
Institute of Psychology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
Institute of Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci. 2025 Feb 26. doi: 10.3758/s13415-025-01266-4.
People tend to judge repeated information as more likely true compared with new information. A key explanation for this phenomenon, called the illusory truth effect, is that repeated information can be processed more fluently, causing it to appear more familiar and trustworthy. To consider the function of time in investigating its underlying cognitive and affective mechanisms, our design comprised two retention intervals. Seventy-five participants rated the truth of new and repeated statements 10 min, as well as 1 week after first exposure while spontaneous facial expressions were assessed via electromyography. Our data demonstrate that repetition results not only in an increased probability of judging information as true (illusory truth effect) but also in specific facial reactions indicating increased positive affect, reduced mental effort, and increased familiarity (i.e., relaxations of musculus corrugator supercilii and frontalis) during the evaluation of information. The results moreover highlight the relevance of time: both the repetition-induced truth effect as well as EMG activities, indicating increased positive affect and reduced mental effort, decrease significantly after a longer interval.
与新信息相比，人们往往会认为重复的信息更有可能是真实的。对这一现象（称为虚幻真实效应）的一个关键解释是，重复的信息可以更流畅地被处理，使其看起来更熟悉、更可信。为了研究时间在探究其潜在认知和情感机制中的作用，我们的设计包含两个保留间隔。75名参与者在首次接触新陈述和重复陈述10分钟后以及1周后对其真实性进行了评分，同时通过肌电图评估自发面部表情。我们的数据表明，重复不仅会增加将信息判断为真实的可能性（虚幻真实效应），还会在信息评估过程中引发特定的面部反应，表明积极情绪增加、心理努力减少以及熟悉度增加（即皱眉肌和额肌放松）。此外，结果突出了时间的相关性：重复引发的真实效应以及表明积极情绪增加和心理努力减少的肌电图活动，在较长间隔后都会显著降低。
