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It may sound surprising, but yes—it is possible to miss something happening right in front of you. In fact, one of the most famous cases in the U.S. involves a police officer who, while chasing a suspect, ran past an assault without noticing it. This raises fascinating questions about how memories are formed, stored, and retrieved, as well as how they can be altered along the way. Let’s delve into the intricacies of memory and perception, and how forensic psychology can shed light on this phenomenon.
The Complexity of Memory Formation
Creating, storing, and recalling memories is a complex and nuanced process that can be disrupted by a variety of external factors. Memory formation involves three crucial stages: inputs (the information we initially perceive), storage (how this information transitions from short-term to long-term memory), and retrieval (the act of recalling the information). The disruption of any of these stages can result in errors or omissions in what we remember.
As a forensic psychology researcher, my work focuses on the inputs—specifically, what witnesses perceive at the time a crime occurs, and whether their attention is diverted by other factors. In the case of police officer Kenneth Conley, who failed to notice an assault while chasing a suspect in Boston in 1995, researchers were keen to understand whether it was indeed possible for him to miss such a visible crime. After a lengthy appeal process, Conley was exonerated in 2005, but the incident prompted further investigation into the ways our focus can influence what we remember.
The Role of Focus in Memory
Memories are highly dependent on what we see, hear, and focus on during an event. Focus is the key. Simple activities like talking on the phone or supervising a child can limit how much we notice around us, which can become a critical factor when providing eyewitness testimony.
A study replicated a similar situation, asking participants to jog along a path while staying a set distance behind the person ahead of them. A mock assault was staged nearby, yet nearly half of the participants didn’t notice it. This phenomenon is known as inattentional blindness—the failure to perceive something unexpected right in front of you due to focused attention elsewhere. I’ve conducted similar experiments, where people were asked to concentrate on specific details in a video, and when a mock assault occurred, up to 65% of participants did not notice it.
The Weapon Effect and Its Impact
In addition to inattentional blindness, another factor that can skew memory recall is known as the weapon effect. When a crime involves a weapon—such as a gun or a knife—witnesses tend to focus on the weapon itself, often at the expense of noticing other key details, like the appearance of the person holding the weapon.
The Influence of Others on Memory
Even if a witness does notice something important and forms a memory, that memory is not always permanent or accurate. The way we recall memories can be influenced by others. If we discuss an event with someone else who was also a witness, we may inadvertently integrate their details into our own recollection, even if they are inaccurate. For example, if another witness mentions that the offender was wearing a different shirt, we may begin to doubt or change our own memory of what the offender wore.
For this reason, it is critical for witnesses to avoid discussing the event with others or consuming media coverage before providing testimony. Recollections can become corrupted by outside influences.
Best Practices for Witnesses
If you ever find yourself witnessing a crime or accident, it’s essential to separate yourself from other bystanders as soon as possible. Immediately write down everything you remember, as this will help ensure accuracy and strengthen your memory of the event.
The quality of the police interview also significantly influences the accuracy of witness testimony. Leading questions or closed-ended inquiries can easily elicit incorrect information. For example, during my research, participants who had not seen a mock assault still responded to questions about it, possibly due to a desire to be helpful or due to their memories being unintentionally distorted.
Conversely, open-ended questions and building rapport with the witness can foster a more accurate and detailed recollection. The Cognitive Interview method, which is a best practice in witness questioning, encourages these approaches to reduce errors in eyewitness testimony.
Moving Forward
My ongoing research aims to better understand how witnesses recall events, the impact of inattentional blindness, and how we can refine eyewitness procedures to minimize errors in testimony. By exploring the complex interplay of focus, memory, and external influences, we hope to improve the reliability of eyewitness accounts and help reduce the incidence of wrongful convictions.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are based on the ongoing research conducted by Dr. Hayley Cullen and represent the complexities of memory and perception in forensic psychology. This information is not intended to offer legal advice and should not be construed as such.
