[EN]In the present study, we used the Deese/Roediger–McDermott paradigm to analyze the relationship between
theme identifiability of word lists and false memories in adults and children. We conducted two normative stud ies to determine the identifiability levels for critical unpresented words in 40 associative lists in adults and in 16
associative lists in children. Then, in three experiments, false memories for critical words that were either easy
or hard to identify were analyzed in adults and in children 4–5 years old and 11–12 years old. Opposite results
were found for adults and children. Lists with highly identifiable critical words produced fewer false memories
for adults but more false memories for children. These results suggest that, if they can identify critical words,
adults use an identify-to-reject strategy to edit out false memories, whereas, in children, theme identification
does not lead to the use of such a monitoring strategy.
