“With a little help from my friends…”: The role of co-witness relationship in susceptibility to misinformation.

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Hope, Lorraine; Ost, James; Gabbert, Fiona; Healey, Sarah and Lenton, Emma. 2008. “With a little help from my friends…”: The role of co-witness relationship in susceptibility to misinformation. Acta Psychologica, 127(2), pp. 476-484. ISSN 0001-6918 [Article]

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Official URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S...

Abstract or Description

Inaccuracies in eyewitness accounts can occur when witnesses are exposed to post-event misinformation via discussion with a co-witness. The current study examined the role of co-witness relationship by comparing the memory performance of pairs of romantic couples, friends and previously unacquainted strangers with that of individuals. Ninety-six participants viewed an event and then discussed the witnessed event with a stranger, a romantic partner or a friend. One member of each pair saw a theft take place during the witnessed event. Individual group participants did not discuss the witnessed event with anyone. Results indicate that all co-witness dyads produced less accurate recall accounts than participants who did not interact with another witness. However, witnesses who were previously acquainted with their co-witness (either in a friendship or romantic relationship) were significantly more likely to report information obtained from their co-witness that they had not seen themselves. Prior acquaintance also led to an increased number of incorrect attributions of both guilt and innocence.

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Article

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2007.08.010