Eyewitness susceptibility to co-witness misinformation is influenced by co-witness confidence and own self-confidence

Thorley, Craig, and Kumar, Devvarta (2017) Eyewitness susceptibility to co-witness misinformation is influenced by co-witness confidence and own self-confidence. Psychology, Crime & Law, 23 (4). pp. 342-360.

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Abstract

If an eyewitness is exposed to a co-witness statement that incorrectly blames an innocent bystander for a crime, the eyewitness can be influenced by this statement and also blame the innocent bystander for the crime. This effect is known as blame conformity. In two studies, we examined whether or not this effect is influenced by the degree of confidence a co-witness expresses in her incorrect statement (Study 1) and an eyewitness’s own level of self-confidence (Study 2). Participant eyewitnesses first watched a crime video featuring a perpetrator and an innocent bystander, then read a co-witness statement about the crime that either correctly blamed the perpetrator, incorrectly blamed the innocent bystander, or blamed nobody (a control condition). They were then asked who committed the crime. In Study 1, participants who read an incorrect statement were at increased risk of engaging in blame conformity when the co-witness expressed a high level of confidence, compared to a low level of confidence, in the accuracy of her statement. In Study 2, participants who were lowest in self-confidence were at increased risk of engaging in blame conformity. The theoretical underpinnings of these effects are considered.

Item ID: 46877
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1477-2744
Keywords: blame conformity; eyewitness memory; memory conformity; social contagion; confidence
Date Deposited: 16 Jan 2017 06:00
FoR Codes: 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5204 Cognitive and computational psychology > 520404 Memory and attention @ 100%
SEO Codes: 97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970117 Expanding Knowledge in Psychology and Cognitive Sciences @ 100%
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