Can Conversational Remembering Affect Attitude Change? Socially Shared Retrieval Induced Forgetting as a Persuasion Method

Abstract

Socially shared retrieval-induced forgetting (SS‐RIF) is the phenomenon where concurrent retrieval of memories by two people causes forgetting of related unmentioned memories. This paper investigated two main questions: First, whether epistemic (validation‐based) and relational (similarity‐based) motivations affect SS‐RIF, and second, whether SS‐RIF could be used as a persuasion method. Participants were randomly assigned to a control (epistemic motivation) or relational condition, and completed a SS‐RIF paradigm that used supportive (PRO), opposing (ANTI), or neutral (NEU) arguments regarding the legalization of euthanasia as stimuli. Initial and final attitudes towards euthanasia were assessed and used to determine whether attitude change occurred as a result of SS‐RIF. Results of the study revealed that SS‐RIF did not occur, and there was no effect of motivational condition either. Possible explanations for the lack of significant results are offered, as are future directions and improvements for this study.