Publication: Misinformation effect in men and women crime scenario eye-witness recall
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Date
2025-02
Authors
Azmi, Nursyafizah
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Abstract
Eyewitness testimony is a crucial component of the criminal justice system, yet human memory is malleable and prone to distortion due to post-event misinformation. This phenomenon is known as the misinformation effect. This study explored the misinformation effect in eyewitness memory focusing on gender differences in memory responses among adult Malaysians. A total of 12 people participated in this study (male = 6, female = 6) and the participants were randomly divided into two groups, namely the control group and the experimental group. Utilizing a cross-sectional quasi-experimental design, male and female participants were shown a video depicting a crime and underwent an interview asking them to recall the incident. The participants in the experimental group were fed misleading information as opposed to the participants in the control group who were asked neutral questions. The findings revealed some patterns of memory responses which gave way to the themes: memory distortion, confidence in recall, resistance to misinformation, misinformation effect, subjective interpretation in recall and initial account of the incident. Gender differences in amongst these themes are also explored. Some implications of the study include highlighting the vulnerability of memory in the exposure to external information – which could be introduced intentionally for the purpose of misleading – especially in the criminal justice system. These reported memory distortions along with patterns from gender differences can be utilized in the development and application of a witness interview guideline that minimizes misleading information as well as a gender-based approach
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