Misinformation Effect and Memory of Events

Interviews

Elizabeth Loftus, a prominent psychologist, has conducted research on the reliability of eyewitness testimony. Her research has shown that memory of an event can be influenced by what happens after an event. For example, the form of questioning that an eyewitness receives after an event, can influence what a person recalls about an event--hence the term, post-event effect. 

When the post-event is misinformation, the effect has been called the misinformation effect.

This effect has been demonstrated in many studies, including the classic psychology study by Loftus and Palmer (1974) Reconstruction of Automobile Destruction. The study showed that leading questions could distort eyewitness testimony accounts and so have a confabulating effect, as the account would become distorted by cues provided in the question.

Reference

Loftus, E. F., & Palmer, J. C. (1974). Reconstruction of automobile destruction: An example of the interaction between language and memory. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal behavior, 13, 585-589.

Geoffrey W. Sutton, PhD is Emeritus Professor of Psychology. He retired from a clinical practice and was credentialed in clinical neuropsychology and psychopharmacology. His website is  www.suttong.com

 

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