Date of Award
January 2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Alison E. Kelly
Abstract
The misinformation effect has long been studied, but little research has examined how misleading post-event information affects traumatic memory. Misinformation presented by a cowitness has been found to be particularly powerful, often producing the strongest effects on eyewitness memory. The current study sought to analyze the impact of co-witness misinformation on memory for a traumatic event. Participants viewed a short film displaying a gruesome murder and completed an immediate recall test. After a short delay, participants read a narrative summary of the film (accurate or misleading), with some being told the narrative was written by another eyewitness. A subsequent recall test was given. Significant misinformation effects were found despite the traumatic nature of the film. The co-witness information did not impact recall of misleading items as expected. Implications for eyewitness memory for traumatic events are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Krupa, Kira, "The Impact Of Co-Witness Misinformation On Memory For A Traumatic Event" (2020). Theses and Dissertations. 3104.
https://commons.und.edu/theses/3104