Crime Scene Investigation: The Influence of Conversation and Personality on Memory
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Psycholgy
Minor
Criminal Justice
2nd Student Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
2nd Student Major
Psychology
2nd Student Minor
Public and Community Health
3rd Student Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
3rd Student Major
Psychology
3rd Student Minor
Special Education
4th Student Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
4th Student Major
Psychology
4th Student Minor
Math
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Jana Hackathorn, PhD.
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
Jurors often perceive eyewitness testimonies as extremely convincing (Chew, 2018), however, eyewitness misidentification bears cause to nearly 70% of overturned convictions in the U.S. (Innocence Project, 2017). The current study combines the principles of cognition and eyewitness testimony to examine the likelihood of change, and one’s confidence in, their memory. A decrease in memory accuracy resulting from participants conversing with someone who received conflicting information, and personality variables facilitating this change, are results we expect to find. Participants are still being recruited to complete multiple measures, beginning with demographics and the Big Five personality traits (BFI-10; Rammstedt & John, 2007). They watch a slideshow depicting a crime; two versions exist with varying details (e.g., gun vs. knife). Then, participants complete a memory and confidence in memory task followed by a filler task. Next, they collaborate with their fellow participant to generate a story explaining the slideshow. Finally, participants independently complete another memory test with confidence ratings. Preliminary analysis (N = 16) of memory scores indicates a significant reduction in accuracy across the two tests, t(14)=2.45, p=.028 and no difference in confidence scores, t(14)=-.01, p=.990. This indicates that conversing had no effect on participants confidence in their memory. Future analysis, with a larger sample, should convey whether certain personality traits impact memory. The implications, based on these findings, could extend beyond the realms of social and cognitive psychology, and land in a courtroom.
Keywords: eyewitness, personality, confidence, memory trace
Fall Scholars Week 2018 Event
Psychology: Projects In-Progress
Crime Scene Investigation: The Influence of Conversation and Personality on Memory
Jurors often perceive eyewitness testimonies as extremely convincing (Chew, 2018), however, eyewitness misidentification bears cause to nearly 70% of overturned convictions in the U.S. (Innocence Project, 2017). The current study combines the principles of cognition and eyewitness testimony to examine the likelihood of change, and one’s confidence in, their memory. A decrease in memory accuracy resulting from participants conversing with someone who received conflicting information, and personality variables facilitating this change, are results we expect to find. Participants are still being recruited to complete multiple measures, beginning with demographics and the Big Five personality traits (BFI-10; Rammstedt & John, 2007). They watch a slideshow depicting a crime; two versions exist with varying details (e.g., gun vs. knife). Then, participants complete a memory and confidence in memory task followed by a filler task. Next, they collaborate with their fellow participant to generate a story explaining the slideshow. Finally, participants independently complete another memory test with confidence ratings. Preliminary analysis (N = 16) of memory scores indicates a significant reduction in accuracy across the two tests, t(14)=2.45, p=.028 and no difference in confidence scores, t(14)=-.01, p=.990. This indicates that conversing had no effect on participants confidence in their memory. Future analysis, with a larger sample, should convey whether certain personality traits impact memory. The implications, based on these findings, could extend beyond the realms of social and cognitive psychology, and land in a courtroom.
Keywords: eyewitness, personality, confidence, memory trace