Loftus then began designing and conducting further research into this concept of false memory, as it has significant implications, especially for the justice system.Īlong with the famous “car crash” studies by Loftus and Palmer (1971), these studies provide more evidence for the reconstructive nature of memory. This phenomenon has been labelled the misinformation effect and it can lead to confabulation (a false memory).įor a fascinating example of the misinformation effect altering eye-witness testimony and the importance of the innocence project, look up more information about Ronald Cotton and Jennifer Thompson-Cannino. That is to say, memories can be altered by providing wrong information to someone which is later remembered and recalled with confidence.
But an investigative journalist later found the real rapist, and Titus was acquitted and released from jail after one year.īut why did the victim’s response change from, “looks most like” to “definitely?” Numerous studies have shown that our memories are reconstructive in nature, and during this reconstructive process, our memories are liable to be influenced by misinformation. Later in the courtroom, Titus has become “definitely the man” who committed the crime.
After looking at a lineup of photographs, the victim said Titus “looked like the closest one”. Titus was falsely identified as the man who raped a female hitchhiker. One event that triggered Loftus’ explorations into memory reliability was the trial of Steve Titus. DNA testing is now being used to free hundreds of people who have been wrongly imprisoned based on false eyewitness testimony (check out The Innocence Project for more information). What better evidence is there than to have someone actually see the perpetrator commit the crime? But Loftus’ has shown in dozens of studies that we can’t actually trust eyewitness testimony. In the past, if an eyewitness claimed that they saw someone commit a crime they would almost definitely be convicted. She is often called on to testify in legal cases against eye-witness testimony. False Memories and the Misinformation EffectĮlizabeth Loftus is a prominent memory researcher whose work has had significant impacts on the legal system in the United States.
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