Recalling a witnessed event increases eyewitness suggestibility: the reversed testing effect

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Eyewitness Memory Research
• Memory and Misinformation

Background:

• Memory can be distorted by misinformation after an event.
• Real-world eyewitnesses often recall events before encountering potential misinformation.
• The testing effect typically enhances memory through retrieval.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if prior recall (testing effect) reduces suggestibility to misinformation in eyewitnesses.
• To examine the impact of immediate cued recall on the misinformation effect.
• To compare effects in younger and older adults.

Main Methods:

• Participants experienced an event and were then tested with cued recall.
• Following recall, participants were exposed to misinformation about the event.
• Later memory accuracy was assessed to measure suggestibility.

Main Results:

• Immediate cued recall exacerbated the misinformation effect for both age groups.
• Recall enhanced the learning and susceptibility of details to misinformation.
• A reversed testing effect was observed, increasing memory errors.

Conclusions:

• Prior recall does not reduce, but rather increases, eyewitness suggestibility.
• Episodic memory may undergo reconsolidation, making recalled details vulnerable to interference.
• Eyewitness memory may be more susceptible to misinformation than previously understood.