The Power of Suggestion

Overview

Objectives/Goals The objective was to learn if an authoritative false statement influences a memory of images on adolescent females. Methods/Materials Individual females were shown a poster of images and then asked to write down the images they recalled. The experimenter then told them that they forgot an image that had not been on the poster. The response to this statement was recorded. The next day, the subject was asked to write down the images from the poster again and the experimenter observed whether the nonexistent image she stated was on the list. Results Most of the females remembered and believed in the nonexistent image said to have been on the poster. In fact, only one person was confident enough to challenge the experimenter#s false statement. Conclusions/Discussion An authoritative statement does influence an adolescent female#s memory of images. This project shows how it is possible for someone to influence the testimony and / or memory of eyewitnesses. This presents the possible problem of the reliablity of eyewitnesses in trials.

Competition history

• CSEF 2002 Social Sciences (Junior Division Only) · Entry J1706

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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