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Memory & Perception
Misinformation Effect
Memory phenomenonDefinition
The tendency for post-event information to interfere with and alter the memory of the original event.
Why it happens
New information blends with existing memory traces. When someone suggests details after an event, those suggestions can become incorporated into what we 'remember.'
Real-life examples
- A witness changing their account after hearing another witness's version.
- Remembering a car accident as worse after reading a dramatic news report about it.
- Misremembering a conversation after someone tells you what they think was said.
How to counter it
- Record your version of events before discussing them with others.
- Avoid media coverage of events you witnessed until you've documented your account.
- In important situations, write notes immediately after the event.
- Ask yourself: "Is this my memory or something I heard later?"
Quick tips
- Record your version of events before discussing them with others.
- Be cautious of how media coverage can reshape your memories.
- In important situations, write notes immediately after the event.
- Recognize that confidence in a memory doesn't guarantee its accuracy.
Sources and further reading
- Semantic Integration of Verbal Information into a Visual Memory
American Psychological Association