EPISODE · Nov 12, 2012 · 15 MIN
False Memory
from Hold That Thought · host Washington University in St. Louis
How trustworthy is human memory? Henry Roediger, James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of Psychology at Washington University in St. Louis, describes his research into how and why errors in memory occur. As Roediger's research reveals, suggestive questioning, repetition, and false inferences all can cause people to remember details incorrectly, or even to remember whole events that never happened. The implications of this research are far-reaching, especially in the justice system. According to the Innocence Project, nearly 75% of overturned convictions have involved witness misidentification.
What this episode covers
How trustworthy is human memory? Henry Roediger, James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of Psychology at Washington University in St. Louis, describes his research into how and why errors in memory occur. As Roediger's research reveals, suggestive questioning, repetition, and false inferences all can cause people to remember details incorrectly, or even to remember whole events that never happened. The implications of this research are far-reaching, especially in the justice system. According to the Innocence Project, nearly 75% of overturned convictions have involved witness misidentification.
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False Memory
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