"With a little help from my friends...": the role of co-witness relationship in susceptibility to misinformation

Acta Psychol (Amst). 2008 Feb;127(2):476-84. doi: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2007.08.010. Epub 2007 Oct 15.

Abstract

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.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Cognition / physiology
  • Communication*
  • Family Characteristics
  • Female
  • Friends / psychology
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations*
  • Male
  • Mental Recall / physiology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Social Behavior*
  • Students / psychology
  • Suggestion*
  • Theft / psychology