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 the form of questioning that an eyewitness receives after the event, which is known as the 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.
How does Loftus work relate to the
Rashomon effect?
The Rashomon effect is often used to
emphasize the point that people’s perceptions about an event can differ
considerably based on their individual personal experiences.
While the Rashomon effect and the
post-event effect are both related to the reliability of eyewitness testimony,
they are distinct phenomena. The Rashomon effect is concerned with the
differences in perception among observers of an event, while the post-event
effect is concerned with how subsequent information can affect an eyewitness's
account of an event.
Resources
Loftus, E. F. (1981). Eyewitness Testimony: Psychological Research and
Legal Thought. Crime and Justice, 3, 105–151.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1147378
Weinberg,
H. I., Wadsworth, J., & Baron, R. S. (1983). Demand and the impact of
leading questions on eyewitness testimony. Memory & cognition, 11(1), 101–104. https://doi.org/10.3758/bf03197667
A Related Resources
Myth: Eyewitness Testimony is the Best Kind of Evidence
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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