Memory: The Misinformation Effect In Human Memory

The Misinformation Effect The human memory, including the processes of encoding, storage, and retrieval are all subject to human fallacies. One rather unreliable aspect of memory is incorporating misleading information into ones’ memory as a true event, known as the misinformation effect. When memory retrieval goes wrong constructed memories can feel like accurate accounts of past events to the individual recalling them. Leading questions and purposely incorrect information can easily influence the memory to later recall false details. For example, questioners can create an entirely new memory by repeatedly asking insistent questions. The misinformation effect has been heavily researched by psychological professionals, especially Dr. Elizabeth

The order of information is explained by two competing theories, the post-event misinformation theory and the continued influence effect. If an individual relies on misinformation that was presented after accurate information was encoded this is considered post-event misinformation. It works as destructive updating, as time increases, the ease of retrieval of small details decreases and more recently encoded information is relied on. (Pansky, 2011) However, if someone relies on misinformation that was initially presented as factual despite being later corrected the continued influence effect is present. In a study, the effect of misinformation encoded before correct information on recall could only be slightly lessened if the misinformation was heavily retracted. Even then the primacy of the initial information creates a strong, lasting presence on an individual. (Ecker, 2011) Continued influence effect can be explained through primacy. One researcher explained CIE as looking back at a situation and beginning with the first events and continuing on chronologically. (Bower & Morrow, 1990) Both of these theories explain the influence on primacy and recency on the recall of

Findings show that written misinformation is less influential than auditory misinformation. (Hinze, 2014) Looking at the sociolinguistics implications of hearing misinformation suggest potential mechanisms within Wernicke’s area that are very strongly related to memory. In another study misinformation was presented in different accents, depending on the listeners’ perception of that accent and unconsciously associating it as more powerful and socially attractive affected their susceptibility to belief in the misleading information. (Vornik, 2003) This subconscious action also demonstrates a very strong tie between how misinformation is presented and how it later affects recall. Beyond how misinformation is presented the diction and syntax also influences the recall of memory. When stronger action verbs are used when asking a question about an encoded memory they can be more misleading to an individual resulting in misinformation. (Loftus & Palmer, 1974) Discussing the speed of a car, for example, using smashed versus bumped to discuss a collision, the implications of the word smashed include a higher speed and more violent collision although that may not be accurate the diction guides an individual’s