Perceptual Load Affects Eyewitness Accuracy & Susceptibility to Leading Questions

Murphy, Gillian; Greene, Ciara Mary · 2016 · DOAJ

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01322

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Summary

This study investigates how perceptual load—the amount of information requiring processing during an event—affects eyewitness memory accuracy and susceptibility to post-event misinformation. Grounded in Load Theory, which posits that high perceptual load limits attentional capacity and filters out irrelevant stimuli, the researchers hypothesized that high-load events would impair memory, particularly for peripheral details, and increase reliance on external cues, thereby heightening suggestibility. The study addresses a gap in existing literature, which has largely focused on artificial laboratory tasks rather than naturalistic eyewitness scenarios. The research comprised three experiments. Experiments 1A and 1B utilized video-based simulations of a robbery, manipulating perceptual load by varying the number of objects in the scene (low load: 13 items; high load: 51 items). Participants viewed the videos and completed questionnaires containing regular or leading questions (e.g., changing "a stapler" to "the stapler"). Experiment 2 employed a driving simulator to test these effects in a more complex, dynamic environment. Participants drove or rode as passengers through a scenario involving a vehicle collision, with load manipulated via the visual complexity of the surroundings (e.g., colorful billboards vs. plain fronts). In all experiments, memory was assessed immediately and, in some cases, one week later. The results consistently demonstrated that high perceptual load significantly reduced eyewitness accuracy. In the video experiments, participants under high load recalled fewer stolen items and showed markedly poorer memory for peripheral details, such as a witness passing by a window, compared to those under low load. Memory for central details, such as the thief’s identity, remained largely unaffected by load. Crucially, high-load memories were more susceptible to leading questions. Participants exposed to high-load events were significantly more likely to accept misleading information regarding the presence of objects and the duration of events than those in low-load conditions. Experiment 2 extended these findings to auditory memory, showing that high visual load impaired the recall of the sound of braking, indicating a cross-modal effect. Additionally, high-load participants were more influenced by leading questions about vehicle speed and the presence of traffic signs. These findings imply that the complexity of a witnessed event directly impacts the reliability of eyewitness testimony. High perceptual load causes a narrowing of attention, leading to incomplete encoding of peripheral and auditory details. This incomplete memory makes witnesses more reliant on post-event information, increasing their vulnerability to suggestion and false memories. The study highlights the importance of considering the attentional demands of a crime scene when evaluating eyewitness accounts, suggesting that high-load environments may produce less accurate and more malleable memories than previously assumed.

Key finding

High perceptual load significantly reduces eyewitness memory accuracy for peripheral details and increases susceptibility to leading questions.

Methodology

lab_experiment

Sample size: 474

Provenance

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• road complexity