Brain Games- False Memory and Misinformation Effect

Summary

In a 1950s movie set experiment, spectators unknowingly become part of a memory test conducted by former Las Vegas police sergeant Chris Curtis. The crew stages a car accident, and through carefully chosen words, manipulates the witnesses' recollections of the event. The 'misinformation effect' is demonstrated as the use of the word 'smashed' leads to inflated speed estimates, and a 'yield' sign is mistakenly remembered as a 'stop' sign, highlighting the malleability of human memory and its susceptibility to change with new information.

Takeaways

• 🎬 The setting is a 1950s movie set with cameras, a director, crew, police, and spectators.
• 👮‍♂️ Former Las Vegas police sergeant Chris Curtis is present to test the spectators' memory.
• 🔍 The final shot of the movie is the focus, and spectators are asked to remember what they see.
• 🚗 The first question is about the color of the car that got hit, with 'blue' being the correct answer.
• 🏎 The second question asks for an estimate of the car's speed when it collided with another car, with most people guessing around 20 miles per hour.
• 🗣 The way questions are phrased can influence the spectators' memory, as seen with the use of the word 'smashed'.
• 🔁 The actual speed of the accident was 20 miles an hour, which surprised many spectators who had guessed higher.
• 🚦 The final question is about whether the driver ran a stop sign, but it was actually a yield sign, showing memory manipulation.
• 🤯 The term 'smashed' influenced spectators to recall a higher speed, demonstrating the power of language on memory.
• 🧠 The phenomenon is known as the misinformation effect, where new information can alter one's memory of an event.
• 🚨 Memories formed under stress are particularly susceptible to change, as shown in the car accident scenario.

Q & A

What is the setting of the described scenario?

The scenario is set on a movie set in the 1950s, complete with cameras, a director, and on-set police for security.

What is the purpose of the spectators invited to the movie set?

The spectators are invited to watch the filming of the final shot of the movie and to test their memory of the events.

What is the role of former Las Vegas police sergeant Chris Curtis in this scenario?

Chris Curtis is there to test the memory of the spectators by asking them questions about what they saw during the filming.

What was the first question Chris Curtis asked the spectators about the car incident?

The first question was about the color of the car that got hit during the filming.

What was the second question regarding the car incident, and what was the correct answer?

The second question was about the speed of the car when it bumped into the other car, and the correct answer was 20 miles an hour.

How did the spectators' guesses about the car's speed compare to the actual speed?

The spectators' guesses varied widely, with some estimating much higher speeds than the actual 20 miles an hour.

What is the phenomenon where the wording of a question can influence the memory of an event?

This phenomenon is known as the misinformation effect, where memories can be reshaped based on new information received.

What word in the question about the car speed influenced the spectators' memory?

The word 'smashed' was used in the question, which led some spectators to remember a higher speed than what actually occurred.

What was the final question Chris Curtis asked the spectators, and what was the correct answer?

The final question was whether the driver blew through a stop sign after the accident; the correct answer was no, it was a yield sign.

How did the spectators' perception of the traffic sign differ from the actual sign?

Many spectators incorrectly remembered it as a stop sign, influenced by the questioning and their own expectations.

What does the scenario illustrate about the reliability of eyewitness memory?

The scenario illustrates that eyewitness memory is not always reliable and can be influenced by the way information is presented or questioned.