How post event discussion affect EWT

Post-Event Discussion

When co-witnesses to a crime discuss it with each other, their eyewitness testimonies may become contaminated.

They combine information from other witnesses with their own memories.

Gabbert et al. (2003)

• Each participant watched a video of the same crime, but filmed from different points of view.

• Each participant could see elements that others could not.

• They were allowed to talk before being questioned.

• 71% of participants mistakenly recalled aspects of the event that they had not seen in the video but had picked up from discussion.

Why Does Post-Event Discussion Affect EWT?

Memory contamination: Information from other witnesses becomes mixed with a person's original memory, causing it to become distorted.

Memory conformity: Witnesses may agree with each other to gain social approval or because they believe the other witness is correct. Their original memory may remain unchanged.

.

.