Lecture_7_Forgetting_and_eyewitness_testimony_2025_1_

Eyewitness memory

Memory that is influenced by various factors, leading to malleability.

Confirmation bias

The tendency to focus on evidence that confirms one's expectations, distorting event memory.

Retroactive interference

When new learning disrupts the recall of previously learned information.

Cognitive interview

A technique used to enhance eyewitness memory recall by reinstating context and using various recall methods.

Encoding specificity principle

The idea that memory retrieval is improved when the context during retrieval matches the context during encoding.

Weapons effect

The phenomenon where the presence of a weapon impairs memory for other details of the event.

Proactive interference

When previously learned information disrupts the recall of new information.

Directed forgetting

The intention to forget certain information, leading to poorer recall of those items.

Item method

A technique used to study directed forgetting where individuals recall words presented under 'remember' or 'forget' instructions.

Source misattribution

Confusing the source of a memory due to the activation of similar memories from different contexts.

Age effect on eyewitness testimony

Older adults typically have less accurate memories compared to younger adults, often leading to false recall.

Cross-race effect

The phenomenon where people have more difficulty accurately identifying faces of individuals from a different racial group.

Consolidation

The process that stabilizes a memory trace after its initial acquisition.

Motivated forgetting

Forgetting that occurs consciously or unconsciously, often in response to anxiety or distress.

Maladaptive forgetting

Forgetting that is harmful or counterproductive, often related to repressed memories.

Cue-dependent forgetting

A theory where retrieval failure occurs due to the lack of appropriate cues to access stored information.

Repression

A defense mechanism where traumatic memories are kept from consciousness to reduce anxiety.

Interference theory

The theory that forgetting occurs due to interference from other memories.

Visual recognition in eyewitness identification

Identification based on physical appearance or photographs; often inaccurate.

Line-up procedures

Methods used in identifying suspects, which can be conducted sequentially or simultaneously.

Social cognitive hypothesis

The theory that in-group versus out-group dynamics influence memory accuracy.

Stereotype threat

The risk of confirming negative stereotypes about a group to which one belongs affecting memory accuracy.

False memories

Memories that individuals confidently recall but are inaccurate or distorted.

Contextual reinstatement

Recreating the context present at the original time of encoding to improve memory recall.

Event factors impacting eyewitness testimony

Elements such as duration, stress, and presence of a weapon that can affect memory accuracy.

Cognitive factors in eyewitness testimony

Mental processes like attention and working memory that influence the ability to recall witnessed events.

Expertise effect

The phenomenon where familiarity with a particular racial group improves identification accuracy, reducing the cross-race effect.

Memory distortions from misleading information

Changes to memory due to inaccurate details introduced after an event.

Think/No Think paradigm

An experimental method to study directed forgetting where participants are prompted to suppress or recall specific information.

Encoding failures

Instances where memories are not adequately encoded, leading to forgetfulness.

Fragile memories

Recently formed memories that are particularly susceptible to forgetting or distortion.

Bruce's experiment on eyewitness testimony (Loftus et al., 1987)

Found participants focusing more on a weapon than other details, leading to poorer memory recall.