Shaw and Porter 2015 - Reconstructive Memory

Aim

To investigate whether it was possible in a laboratory setting for researchers to implant a false memory of committing a crime

PPS

70 Canadian college students aged between 18-31, primarily female
- Randomly assigned to either the "criminal condition" or the "non-criminal condition"

Design

Lab experiment

Method

1) They were interviewed 3 times over 3 weeks
2) In each interview, the pps were asked to describe a true event and a fictional account of committing a crime when they were about 10-14 years old
3) Crimes were either theft, assault, or assault with a weapon
4) To encourage the production of false memories, the researchers encouraged the pps to practice visualisation techniques at night and used subtle social pressure by saying most people can remember these kinds of things if they try hard enough

Results

- By the third interview, 21/30 (70%) of the pps in the criminal condition had a false memory of committing the crime

Conclusion

- This study provides evidence for the fact that how people are questioned can lead to false memories

Evaluation

- Ethical constraint : The pps were brainwashed by the researcher that they've committed a crime although they haven't in real life
- Social desirability effect : Pps might responded in a way they are expected to since it was a lab experiment / or the response could have been affected by social conformity
- Applicability : in real life situations where police asks witness to recall their memories on crime scenes, falsified memory could undermine the legitimacy of the report