Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2026
08:06
Eye Movement Monitoring of Memory
Published on: August 15, 2010
Witnesses' memory for events and faces under elevated levels of intoxication
Christopher M Altman1, Nadja Schreiber Compo1, Dawn McQuiston2
1a Department of Psychology , Florida International University , Miami , FL , USA.
Memory (Hove, England)
|March 6, 2018
Summary
Higher alcohol levels impair witness memory recall quantity and quality. However, intoxication did not affect identification accuracy in mock crime scenarios.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Forensic Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Previous research on alcohol and witness memory primarily used low breath alcohol concentration (BAC) levels.
- These low levels are not representative of intoxication levels often encountered in real-world scenarios by law enforcement.
- Understanding the impact of higher intoxication levels is crucial for accurate witness testimony evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of elevated breath alcohol concentration (BAC) levels on witness memory for events and faces.
- To determine how higher intoxication impairs recall quantity, quality, and identification accuracy.
- To compare the effects of free recall versus cued questioning under intoxication.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 138 bar patrons and measured their BAC levels.
- Participants witnessed a video-taped mock crime.
- Memory was assessed using free recall, cued questions, and a target-present/absent lineup procedure.
Main Results:
- Alcohol significantly impaired both the quantity and quality of recalled information.
- Higher BAC levels reduced accurate information recall across all question types.
- Cued questions, unlike free recall, increased inaccurate information reporting.
- Intoxication did not significantly affect facial identification accuracy in lineups.
Conclusions:
- Elevated alcohol intoxication negatively impacts witness memory for events.
- Encoding and storage mechanisms for faces and events may be differentially affected by alcohol.
- Future research should incorporate higher BAC levels to better reflect real-world witness conditions.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory
Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or playing an...
01:14Autobiographical Memory
Autobiographical memory is a unique type of episodic memory that involves recollecting personal life experiences. It allows individuals to remember significant events from their past, creating a narrative of their lives. One interesting phenomenon related to autobiographical memory is the reminiscence bump. This effect refers to the tendency of adults to recall more events from their second and third decades of life — typically between ages 10 to 30 — than from other periods. This period is...
01:16Flashbulb Memory
A flashbulb memory is a highly vivid and detailed memory, often linked to events of significant emotional impact. These memories stand out in contrast to everyday memories due to their clarity and the precision with which they are recalled. The strong emotions associated with the event act as a catalyst, ensuring that specific details, such as one's location, actions, and even peripheral elements, are etched into memory with remarkable accuracy. For example, many people can vividly recall where...
01:20Traumatic Memory
Emotionally traumatic events often lead to memories that are exceptionally vivid and enduring, sometimes persisting with remarkable clarity throughout an individual's life. A classic example of this phenomenon is a person who survives a car accident. Even years later, they may recall every detail of the event with startling accuracy — the screeching of the tires, the jarring impact, and the acrid smell of burning rubber. Such vividness contrasts sharply with how an individual remembers mundane...
01:22Eyewitness Memory
Eyewitness memory refers to the recollection of events by someone who has directly witnessed them, often serving as critical evidence in legal settings. This type of memory is commonly used in criminal cases where a witness describes details like a suspect's appearance, clothing, or behavior during a crime. However, despite its perceived reliability, eyewitness memory is prone to significant errors.
One such error is memory distortion, which occurs because human memory does not function like a...
One such error is memory distortion, which occurs because human memory does not function like a...
01:18False Memories
False memories represent a cognitive distortion in which individuals recall events that did not happen, or remember them in an altered form. This phenomenon highlights the brain's constructive nature in processing and recalling memories, emphasizing that memory is not a perfect representation of past events but rather a dynamic reconstruction influenced by various factors.
One primary source of false memories is misattribution, where individuals incorrectly associate external information with...
One primary source of false memories is misattribution, where individuals incorrectly associate external information with...