Research on post-event discussion

• Procedure


  Fiona Gabbert et al. (2003) studied participants in pairs. Each participant watched a video of the same crime but from different points of view, meaning that each participant could see elements that the other could not. Both participants then discussed what they had seen before individually completing a test of recall.
• Findings


  The researchers found that 71% of participants mistakenly recalled aspects of the event that they did not see in the video, but picked up in discussion. The corresponding figure in a control group, where there was no discussion, was 0%. This is evidence of memory conformity.
• Why post-event discussion affects EWT

  One explanation is memory contamination. When co-witnesses to a crime discuss it with each other, their testimonies may become altered or distorted. This is because they combine (mis)information from other witnesses with their own memories. The actual memory is changed.

  Another explanation is memory conformity. Gabbert et al. concluded that witnesses often go along with each other, either to win social approval or because they believe the other witnesses are right and they are wrong. The actual memory is unchanged.