Brain Games- False Memory and Misinformation Effect - YouTube
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Memory Manipulation and the Misinformation Effect
- Witnesses were invited to watch a movie set in the 1950s with cameras, a bossy director, and onset police for security.
- The final shot of the movie included a car accident that was not part of the script.
- Former Las Vegas police sergeant, Chris Curtis, tested the witnesses' memory by asking them questions about what they saw.
- Some of the questions included the color of the car that got hit and the speed at which it was going when it bumped into the other car.
- Spectators had varying recollections of the events, with some guessing high speeds while others were closer to the actual speed of 20 miles per hour.
- One word, "smashed," used by Sergeant Curtis, influenced the witnesses' memory and made them perceive a higher speed than what actually occurred.
- Witnesses also had a misconception about a stop sign being present when it was actually a yield sign.
- The phenomenon of memory manipulation and the misinformation effect highlights that memories are not always accurate and can be easily influenced by external factors.
How Information from a Trustworthy Source and Stress Impact Memory Formation
- Your brain reshapes memories based on details received from a trustworthy source.
- Memories formed under stress, such as those related to a car accident, are particularly susceptible to change.
Memory Manipulation and the Misinformation Effect: How External Factors Influence Witness Testimony.
- Witnesses invited to watch a 1950s movie set with cameras, a bossy director, and onset police for security.
- Final shot included an unplanned car accident, not part of the script.
- Former Las Vegas police sergeant, Chris Curtis, tested witnesses' memory by asking them questions about what they saw.
- Questions included the color and speed of the car involved in the accident.