Online misinformation can distort witnesses’ memories. Analysis of co-witness discussions using an online version of the MORI-v technique

IntroductionThe memory conformity effect occurs when people witness a given incident and then talk to each other about it, and the statement of one person affects the memory account of another person with respect to that incident. The main objectives of this experiment were (1) to examine the effectiveness of a modified version of the MORI-v technique in inducing the memory conformity effect and (2) to investigate how the manner in which participants discuss the observed event influences the magnitude of this effect. In general, the modified online MORI-v technique consists of the following main elements: (1) original material, that is, two versions of a short film which are identical except for certain critical details; for example, in one version, a thief puts on a red cap, but in the other version it is black; (2) the collaborative recognition test, that is, a discussion about the original material which leads to mutual misinformation; and (3) an individual recognition test that checks the effect of the discussion on the memory account of the original material.MethodsA total of 72 participants (36 pairs) aged 18–54 took part in the research. Participants were tested using the online MORI-v technique: They were familiarized with the original material on their computers at home, and then they talked about it via a video communication app and completed an individual recognition test on their computers. Importantly, the discussions were recorded and analyzed in detail after the experimental session.Results and discussionUsing the online MORI-v technique, the effect of memory conformity was demonstrated, that is, in the individual recognition test, the proportion of correct answers to questions about discussed details (related to misinformation) was lower than the proportion of correct answers to questions about non-discussed details. It was also demonstrated that if one participant introduced misinformation during the discussion about a particular item and the other did not question it, the latter’s answer to that item during the individual recognition test was most often incorrect. However, if one participant introduced misinformation during the discussion about an item and the other questioned it, the latter’s answer about that item during the individual recognition test was most often correct

Observation inflation and interrogative suggestibility : different but related memory errors

The observation inflation effect consists in the fact that observing an action being performed can create false memories that this action has actually been performed by the observer. The present study examined the relationship between this effect and interrogative suggestibility. A procedure based on the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale was used to assess two kinds of suggestibility: the tendency to yield to suggestive questions (Yield) and the tendency to change answers after feedback (Shift). The participants first watched a film depicting a woman performing simple activities and performed various activities themselves during the film. In order to determine whether the observation inflation effect occurred, the participants performed a source-monitoring test. The observation inflation effect was replicated. Observation inflation correlated positively with Yield but not with Shift. This pattern of results can be explained by the fact these two indicators are different aspects of interrogative suggestibility. Shift is more related to social influence, while Yield is more cognitive in its nature

Landowner cuisine at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries

Praca przedstawia polską kuchnię ziemiańską z przełomu dziewiętnastego i dwudziestego wieku. Badania oparto na źródłach w postaci poradników kulinarnych i książek kucharskich wydanych w latach 1850-1929. Celem zrozumienia specyfiki wystawnego żywienia ziemian, omówiono, w jaki sposób prezentowała się codzienna kuchnia innych warstw społecznych, w tym chłopów i mieszczan. Ponadto podjęto próbę usystematyzowania przepisów kulinarnych z najpopularniejszych książek i poradników kucharskich omawianego okresu, celem odtworzenia codziennego pożywienia ziemian. Przedstawiono również wystrój ziemiańskiej kuchni i jadalni, stołową etykietę, rolę kucharza i czeladzi oraz proces przygotowywania dań. Ponadto scharakteryzowano kuchnię ziemiańską podczas szczególnych uroczystości, tj. świąt, przyjęć i zabaw. Przeanalizowano również szereg przepisów i wskazówek pozakulinarnych, znajdujących się w książkach i poradnikach kucharskich. Owe wskazówki dotyczą głównie utrzymywania czystości oraz sporządzania domowych lekarstw.The thesis presents Polish landowner cuisine from the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The research was based on sources in the form of cooking guides and cookbooks published between 1850 and 1929. In order to understand the specifics of the sumptuous diet of the landowners, it is discussed how the everyday cuisine of other social classes, including peasants and burghers, was presented. In addition, there has been made an attempt to systematize recipes from the most popular books and cooking guides of the discussed period in order to recreate the everyday food of the landowners. The decoration of the landowner's kitchen and dining room, table etiquette, the role of the cook and journeymen and the process of preparing dishes have been also presented. In addition, landowner cuisine during special celebrations, i.e. holidays, receptions, and parties has been characterized. A number of recipes and non-cooking tips found in cookbooks and guides were also analyzed. These tips mainly concern cleaning and making home remedies

Susceptibility to social influence, need for cognitive closure and shyness as determinants of magnitude of the memory conformity effect

W niniejszej pracy sprawdzano związek pomiędzy efektem konformizmu pamięciowego a podatnością na wpływ społeczny, potrzebą poznawczego domknięcia oraz nieśmiałością. Para osób badanych oddzielnie zapoznawała się z odmiennym materiałem oryginalnym, a następnie wypełniała Skalę Potrzeby Poznawczego Domknięcia oraz Kwestionariusz Nieśmiałości. W kolejnym etapie uczestnicy wspólnie odpowiadali na serię pytań dotyczących materiału oryginalnego. W konsekwencji dyskusji uczestnicy wprowadzali wzajemną dezinformację. Po wypełnieniu Kwestionariusza Podatności na Wpływ Społeczny osoby badane zostały poproszone o wykonanie indywidualnego testu pamięci materiału oryginalnego. Zreplikowano efekt konformizmu pamięciowego. Ponadto, wykazano negatywny związek uległości wobec dezinformacji z podatnością na wpływ społeczny. Nie odnotowano związku potrzeby poznawczego domknięcia oraz nieśmiałości z wielkością efektu konformizmu pamięciowego. W prezentowanym badaniu ponownie wykazano negatywny wpływ dezinformacji na funkcjonowanie pamięci świadków naocznych.In this study, the relationship between the memory conformity effect and the susceptibility to social impact, the need for cognitive closure, as well as shyness was analysed. A pair of subjects separately got acquainted with different original material, and then filled in the Need for Closure Scale and the Shyness Scale. In the next stage, the participants together answered a series of questions about the original material. As a consequence of the discussion, participants were causing mutual misinformation. After completing the Measure of Susceptibility to Social Influence, the subjects were asked to perform an individual memory test regarding the original material. The memory conformity effect was replicated. In addition, a negative relationship of submission to disinformation and susceptibility to social impact was demonstrated. There was no relationship between the need for closure and shyness with the magnitude of the memory conformity effect. The presented study again demonstrated the negative impact of disinformation on the functioning of the memory of eyewitnesses

Memory training as a method for reducing the misinformation effect

The two experiments presented in this study investigate the impact of memory training on the misinformation effect. This effect isparticularly important in the forensic context as exposing a witness to misinformation may adversely affect the content of theirtestimony. During the training, the participants were acquainted with seven (Experiment 1) or six (Experiment 2) types ofmemory errors. It was expected that knowledge of the unreliability of human memory would reduce the misinformation effectand therefore improve the quality of testimony. These hypotheses were confirmed in both experiments. The efficacy of both thecomplete and reduced training courses was not statistically different. Additionally, in Experiment 1 the effectiveness of warningagainst misinformation was replicated: respondents warned about misinformation were more resistant to it than those not warned.The tainted truth effect was also present: people warned against non-existent misinformation had lower correctness in thememory test than non-warned ones. Finally, immediate recall of the content of the original information had no impact on themisinformation effect

Nieletni jako sprawca czynu zabronionego – determinanty niedostosowania społecznego

The article covers the issue of juvenile delinquency and social maladjustment. The aim of this paper is to present, on the basis of literature review, a picture of child crime in Poland, as well as to present the psychological determinants of crime and social maladjustment among children. The article discusses the definition of a juvenile in the context of the proceedings for criminal acts and symptoms of social maladjustment. Moreover, it describes the psychological determinants of juvenile delinquency including personality and environmental factors (family, school environment and peers)