Equating interference on an initial test eliminates the negation-induced forgetting effect.

Items that are associated with a correct feature negation on an intervening test are more likely to be misremembered as having not been studied than items that are associated with a correct feature affirmation. An inhibition-based mechanism has been suggested to underlie this "negation-induced forgetting" effect. In a series of six experiments, we extend this line of work and examine whether negation-induced forgetting is replicable in both the original paradigm and a new paradigm. We also test the potential for an alternative, interference-based account of negation-induced forgetting. In the new paradigm, participants studied images of simple objects and then completed an initial yes-no test about features of the studied objects (e.g., "the ashtray was empty"). In some experiments, feature statements were manipulated to include only a congruent/affirmed or incongruent/negated feature (standard phrasing) or were rephrased to include both congruent and incongruent features within the same statement (interference-equated phrasing). After a brief delay, participants indicated whether each object (e.g., "ashtray") had been studied or not. Negation-induced forgetting was observed in all experiments when the standard procedure was used; however, this effect was eliminated when we adapted the initial test to account for the presence of an interfering feature in negated statements. These experiments suggest that the memory impairment following a correct negation is due to interference from an incongruent feature that is present in negated statements but not in affirmed statements. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).