False memories for end-of-life decisions.
OBJECTIVE
To examine people's false memories for end-of-life decisions.


METHODS
In Study 1, older adults decided which life-sustaining treatments they would want if they were seriously ill. They made these judgments twice, approximately 12 months apart. At Time 2, older adults and their self-selected surrogate decision makers tried to recall the older adults' Time 1 decisions. In Study 2, younger adults made treatment decisions twice, approximately 4 months apart. At Time 2, younger adults tried to recall their Time 1 decisions.


METHODS
Percentage of participants who falsely remembered that their original treatment decisions were the same as their current decisions.


RESULTS
In Study 1, older adults falsely remembered that 75% of their original decisions were the same as their current decisions; surrogates falsely thought that 86% of older adults' decisions were the same. In Study 2, younger adults falsely remembered that 69% of their original decisions were the same as their current decisions.


CONCLUSIONS
Age alone cannot account for people's false memories of their end-of-life decisions; we discuss other mechanisms. The results have practical implications for policies that encourage people to make legal documents specifying their end-of-life treatment decisions.
Sharman
Stefanie J
SJ
School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia. s.sharman@unsw.edu.au
Garry
Maryanne
M
Jacobsen
Jill A
JA
Loftus
Elizabeth F
EF
Ditto
Peter H
PH
D000328:Adult; D016223:Advance Directives / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007872:Legal Guardians / Q000523:psychology; D008020:Life Support Care / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D012094:Repression, Psychology