Retrieval enhances eyewitness suggestibility to misinformation in free and cued recall. 2014

Miko M Wilford, and Jason C K Chan, and Sam J Tuhn
Department of Psychology, Iowa State University.

Immediately recalling a witnessed event can increase people's susceptibility to later postevent misinformation. But this retrieval-enhanced suggestibility (RES) effect has been shown only when the initial recall test included specific questions that reappeared on the final test. Moreover, it is unclear whether this phenomenon is affected by the centrality of event details. These limitations make it difficult to generalize RES to criminal investigations, which often begin with free recall prior to more specific queries from legal officials and attorneys. In 3 experiments, we examined the influence of test formats (free recall vs. cued recall) and centrality of event details (central vs. peripheral) on RES. In Experiment 1, both the initial and final tests were cued recall. In Experiment 2, the initial test was free recall and the final test was cued recall. In Experiment 3, both the initial and final tests were free recall. Initial testing increased misinformation reporting on the final test for peripheral details in all experiments, but the effect was significant for central details only after aggregating the data from all 3 experiments. These results show that initial free recall can produce RES, and more broadly, that free recall can potentiate subsequent learning of complex prose materials.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010865 Pilot Projects Small-scale tests of methods and procedures to be used on a larger scale if the pilot study demonstrates that these methods and procedures can work. Pilot Studies,Pilot Study,Pilot Project,Project, Pilot,Projects, Pilot,Studies, Pilot,Study, Pilot
D011939 Mental Recall The process whereby a representation of past experience is elicited. Recall, Mental
D012153 Retention, Psychology The persistence to perform a learned behavior (facts or experiences) after an interval has elapsed in which there has been no performance or practice of the behavior. Psychological Retention,Retention (Psychology),Psychology Retention,Retention, Psychological
D003142 Communication The exchange or transmission of ideas, attitudes, or beliefs between individuals or groups. Miscommunication,Misinformation,Social Communication,Communication Programs,Communications Personnel,Personal Communication,Communication Program,Communication, Personal,Communication, Social,Communications, Social,Miscommunications,Misinformations,Personnel, Communications,Program, Communication,Programs, Communication,Social Communications
D003463 Cues Signals for an action; that specific portion of a perceptual field or pattern of stimuli to which a subject has learned to respond. Cue
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001288 Attention Focusing on certain aspects of current experience to the exclusion of others. It is the act of heeding or taking notice or concentrating. Focus of Attention,Selective Attention,Social Attention,Attention Focus,Attention, Selective,Attention, Social,Selective Attentions
D013404 Suggestion The uncritical acceptance of an idea or plan of action. Suggestions

Related Publications

Miko M Wilford, and Jason C K Chan, and Sam J Tuhn
May 1975, Memory & cognition,
Miko M Wilford, and Jason C K Chan, and Sam J Tuhn
December 2016, Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR,
Miko M Wilford, and Jason C K Chan, and Sam J Tuhn
February 2016, Journal of experimental psychology. Learning, memory, and cognition,
Miko M Wilford, and Jason C K Chan, and Sam J Tuhn
January 2011, Journal of experimental psychology. Learning, memory, and cognition,
Miko M Wilford, and Jason C K Chan, and Sam J Tuhn
March 2001, Journal of experimental psychology. Learning, memory, and cognition,
Miko M Wilford, and Jason C K Chan, and Sam J Tuhn
January 1993, Memory & cognition,
Miko M Wilford, and Jason C K Chan, and Sam J Tuhn
October 2018, Memory (Hove, England),
Miko M Wilford, and Jason C K Chan, and Sam J Tuhn
November 1983, Memory & cognition,
Miko M Wilford, and Jason C K Chan, and Sam J Tuhn
July 1979, Journal of gerontology,
Miko M Wilford, and Jason C K Chan, and Sam J Tuhn
June 2001, Memory & cognition,
Copied contents to your clipboard!