False memories and biased judgments for physical touch: the role of misinformation on eyewitness reports

Memory is a reconstructive process susceptible to external influences. The misinformation effect, extensively studied in eyewitness testimony, refers to the distortion of post-event information upon memory recall. However, limited research has examined how misinformation influences memory along with evaluation of an event involving physical touch.

Participants of the present study (N = 184) watched a video depicting a professor-student interaction including a physical touch (male professor/female student vs. female professor/male student), followed by a free and cued recall, and evaluative ratings. After 1 day, participants received either neutral or misleading post-event information (i.e., the professor working on teaching materials vs. the professor being under investigation for sexual harassment of students) and completed a second recall and rating session. Measures of interrogative suggestibility, working memory, and executive functioning were also assessed.

Results showed that misinformation significantly increased memory errors and influenced evaluative judgments over time, particularly in the male professor/ female student condition. Participants exposed to misinformation judged the professor's behavior as more inappropriate and severe, and recommended a harsher punishment. A high level of individual's suggestibility was associated with lower perceived intentionality, independent of exposure to misinformation.

These findings support the effect of misinformation on memory and judgments, highlighting critical implications for legal contexts.