The Misinformation effect is when there is misleading information into someone’s memory of an event. This effect becomes important after a dramatic event when someone’s memory may be hazy due to adrenaline or stress (Arndt). One of the main researchers who developed the Misinformation effect was Elizabeth Loftus (Cherry), and her most notable experiment was having people watch a car crash, and asking them a series of questions about the crash. However, in the two groups she changed the way she asked the question, swaying the viewpoints of the people who watched the crash.
Why Does the Misinformation Effect Happens?
If, after a dramatic event, misleading information is presented to a subject, this information can either get blended into the memory or overwrite the memory completely. There has also been research into the idea that the newer misinformation is easier to retrieve, and that the original memory was never actually encoded to begin with (Arndt).
If the misleading information is presented after a longer period of time then it will be harder for the person to retrieve the original, correct information. Another way that information can be distorted is by talking to others who experienced it, or by watching the news. This is because almost everyone experiences a traumatic situation differently, so if one person shares their story you might bring some of their experiences into your story.
Why is the Misinformation Effect Important?
The Misinformation Effect is very important in witness accounts to crimes. The reason for this is because if the interrogator uses leading questions then a witness may be swayed to answer a certain way. This is also why witnesses are normally kept apart, because if they were allowed to speak together, then one-person misinformation could be spread to the other. When you are a witness to a crime the interrogators try to contact you as soon as possible to that you are not able to be swayed by news, or lose the memory over time.
When I was a child my brother got attacked by a dog, he was maybe 12 at the time and I was nine. He had been jumped on by a large black lab that bit his arm, back, and leg. We even have a picture of him at the time standing there, looking at his arm with teeth hanging out of his back. I can picture that entire memory like it was just a few years ago. However, at a family dinner just a year ago I found out that I wasn’t even awake that night. I was upstairs sleeping while my mom drove my brother to the emergency room. But in my mind, I can see his whole back and arm covered in scratches and the teeth still there. I have the vivid memory of my dad taking the picture, and sitting there wondering why he wasn’t more upset by the fact that a dog just buried his teeth in his back. Now I know that this memory was made by my mind, built off a collection of stories I had heard from my other family members that night. I hadn’t actually experienced any of the stress from that night, and I was actually totally oblivious as to what was going on.
Works Cited:
Arndt, Jason. “The Misinformation Effect.” Misinformation Effect – an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics, 2012, www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/misinformation–effect.
Cherry, Kendra. “A Biography of Memory Expert Elizabeth Loftus.” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 16 Sept. 2019, www.verywellmind.com/elizabeth-loftus-biography-2795496.
Coombs, Indie. “Eyewitness Testimony.” Mercercognitivepsychology [Licensed for Non-Commercial Use Only] / Eyewitness Testimony, 2014, mercercognitivepsychology.pbworks.com/w/page/33071707/Eyewitness%20Testimony.