Misinformation Effect
Definition
The misinformation effect refers to false memories we create due to misinformation we receive after an event has occurred.
Analogy
Let's say you witness a car accident and later someone asks you about the 'blue' car that caused it. If you then remember the car as blue, even though it was actually red, that's the misinformation effect - your memory has been influenced by post-event information.
Related terms
Confabulation: The production of fabricated, distorted, or misinterpreted memories about oneself or the world.
Post-Event Information (PEI): Information presented after an event that alters memories of said event.
Implanted Memories: False memories that are implanted in a person’s mind either intentionally or unintentionally.
"Misinformation Effect" appears in:
Study guides (1)
Practice Questions (8)
After Doug witnessed two cars involved in a car accident, a police officer asked Doug how fast the cars were going when the accident happened. According to research by Elizabeth Loftus, which of the following questions could the officer ask that would make Doug most susceptible to the misinformation effect?
What does the misinformation effect illustrate about memory?
What factor might lead to misinformation effect, where an individual's recall of episodic memories becomes less accurate due to post-event information?
What does the misinformation effect illustrate about memory retrieval?
How does the misinformation effect challenge the reliability of eyewitness testimonies?
Which ethical problem can be associated with misinformation effect in legal settings?
Which situation best demonstrates the misinformation effect?
What strategy can you use to minimize the misinformation effect when recalling events?
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