The Impact Of Retrieval On Eyewitness False Memory

Eyewitness memory plays an important role in the investigation and trial of criminal cases.However,eyewitness memory will not only fade over time,but will also be affected by misleading information from everywhere.The testing effect,which refers to enhanced retention due to retrieval practice,has generated considerable research interest.So,many researchers investigated whether test can protect eyewitness memory.In some condition,test reduced misinformation effect,but in others,initial testing increased rather than decreased participants' later report of misinformation.In this paper,three experiments were designed to investigate the impact of retrieval followed by misinformation to eyewitness memory.Experiment l examined whether the misinformation after retrieval will increase the false memory of eyewitness.Based on experiment 1,modified recognition test will be used in experiment 2 to explore whether the retrieval and misinformation will impair the original memory.Experiment 3 tried to discuss the effect of retrieval to nonretrievaled details.In the end,the study draws the following conclusions:(1)Experiment 1 found the existence of the RES effect.The initial test increased the false memory of eyewitness.(2)The increasing false memory caused by retrieval is the result of an increasing suggestibility.Retrieval followed by misinformation will not impair the original memory(3)Retrieval increased the false memory of both retrievaled and nonretrievaled details.