[EN]The main aim of this study was to analyse the roles played by associative activation and thematic
extraction in the explanation of false memories using the Deese, Roediger, McDermott (DRM)
paradigm. Associative lists with two different types of critical items (CIs) were used: one, the associative
CI, corresponded to the word most strongly primed by the associates in the list and another, the thematic
CI, was the word that best described the theme of the list. Following three different types of encoding
instructions (standard, warning or strategic), false recognition for these two types of CIs was analysed in
either self-paced or speeded response recognition tests. The results showed considerable levels of false
memories for both types of CIs. Even without the quality of being “good themes”, associative CIs
produced high levels of false recognition, which suggests that associative activation plays a prominent
role in false memory formation. More interestingly, thematic CIs were more prone to be edited out,
reinforcing the argument that thematic identifiability has a major role in the rejection of false memories.
