Title
Improving time estimation in witness memory
Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Frontiers in Psychology
Publication Date
1-1-2019
Abstract
The present study sought to determine whether witness memory for duration could be improved. In three studies, we examined the effects of unpacking (breaking an event into its component parts), anchoring (supplying participants with a reference duration), and summation (summing component estimates). Participants watched a video-recorded mock crime and provided duration estimates for components of the crime (e.g., casing the car, unlocking the door, etc.) and for the total crime. Results indicate that bias in estimated duration was less for the sum of the parts than it was for the overall duration estimate. Further, the sum of the individual parts did not equal the total estimate, even though all estimates were given in sequence. Summing the component parts could be a more successful intervention than anchoring or unpacking and is easy to employ with witnesses.
Volume
10
Issue
JUN
DOI
10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01452
E-ISSN
16641078
Recommended Citation
Gasper, Holly L.; Roy, Michael M.; and Flowe, Heather D., "Improving time estimation in witness memory" (2019). Faculty Publications. 939.
https://jayscholar.etown.edu/facpubharvest/939