Memory – Introduction and Application Linda Murphy-Boyer B.Sc, M.A Lecturer, PSY100 Department of Psychology University of Toronto June 18, 2003

The Psychology of Eyewitness Testimony Is Eyewitness testimony a valid means of determining guilt? Three stages of processing an important event Encoding Storage Retrieval Factors that can affect eyewitness memory in these three stages Encoding stage factors Violence, Unconscious Transference, Divided Attention Storage stage factors Time factors Retrieval stage factors Expectations, Misremembering

Approximately 48% of all wrongful convictions are due to misidentification

48% REALITY DECISION It really is the criminal It’s not the criminal YES, that’s the guilty person 48% NO, that’s not the guilty person

Three Steps in Processing an Important Event: The encoding stage--perception of the original event The storage stage--time between the event and the recollection of a piece of information The retrieval stage--recall of the stored information

Encoding Stage Factors: Violence Weapons Focus - Loftus. Violence towards a Child - Loftus and Burns Unconscious Transference Donald Thompson - falsely accused Robbery in the Cafeteria - Ross and Ceci Divided Attention

Storage Stage Factors Time Factors A Self Test How Long Before We Forget?-Shepherd

Shepard Results % Recalled 2 Hrs. 3 Days 7 Days 4 Mths. 99.7% 92% 87% 57.7% 2 Hrs. 3 Days 7 Days 4 Mths.

Retrieval Stage Factors Expectations Telephone game - Allport and Postman Mis-remembering Mis-remembering and the Just Desserts Case Misinformation Effect - Loftus

Three Experimental Situations in the Misinformation Paradigm (Loftus) Subjects view an event Subjects are exposed to (misleading) information about the event Subjects recall the event to see if the misleading information has had an effect

Contacted Hit Bumped Collided into Smashed into How fast were the cars going when they ******* each other? Contacted Hit Bumped Collided into Smashed into

Loftus 1 Speed estimates for the different verbs used in the witness question 41mph 39mph Estimated Speed 38mph 34mph 32mph Contacted Hit Bumped Collided Smashed