Memory

New processes needed to implement a paradigm shift in the eyewitness world.

As our understanding of memory improves, new techniques to enhance their accuracy are making it possible for prosecutors to get reliable accounts of crimes from eyewitnesses.

Memory is fascinating and a fundamental component of daily life. We rely on it so heavily, that it is not a stretch to say that life without memory would be close to impossible. Our very survival depends on our ability to remember who we are, who others are, our past experiences, what is dangerous, what is safe, etc. Its importance can’t be understated.

The Study of Human Memory

Background: Memory stretches back at least 2,000 years to Aristotle’s early attempts to understand memory. An 18^th Century English philosopher David Hartley was the first to hypostasize that memories were encoded through hidden motions in the nervous system. However, not until the mid-1880s a young German philosopher Herman Ebbinghaus developed the first scientific approach of studying memory. Many researchers and philosophers and are mentioned in this piece.

How I Intend to Use It: I will be narrowing in on Elizabeth Loftus, an American cognitive psychologist and expert on human memory. Elizabeth studies false memories, she is best known for her ground-breaking work on the misinformation effect and eyewitness memory.  Interesting face, memory isn’t something that can be seen, touched or weighed like an object. It is a mental process and not something you can hold in your hand.

Memory Encoding

Background: Encoding is an important first step to creating a new memory. It allows the perceived item of interest to be converted into a construct that can be stored within the brain, and then recalled later from short-term or long-term memory. The process of memory begins with attention regulated by parts of the brain in which a memorable event causes neurons to release, making the experience more intense and increasing an event of memory.

How I Intend to Use It:  Understand how the brain works with memory and what triggers memory recall, misinformation that lead to the truth but in fact may be false.

How many of your memories are fake?

Background: This article illustrates the study of people with highly superior Autobiographical Memory-those who can remember dates, time of the event the day of the week.  New studies show people with phenomenal memory are susceptible to having  “false memories,” suggesting that “memory distortions are basic and widespread in humans, and it may be unlikely that anyone is immune.”

How I Intend to Use It: Dig deeper into the studies of false memories how can one person remember dates and events that happened years ago and quizzed on an event that happened 15 minutes ago and have no recollection?

How Much of Your Memory Is True?

Background: New research is showing memories are constantly being re-written. Rita Magil was in a horrible car accident.   She recovered, but was plagued by the memories of cement barriers coming towards her when she was doing simple household chores such as cooking. More than a year after her accident, Magil saw Brunet’s ad for an experimental treatment for PTSD, and she volunteered. She took a low dose of a common blood-pressure drug, propranolol, that reduces activity in the amygdala, a part of the brain that processes emotions.

How I Intend to Use It: Is Brunet on to something and able to re-write long-term memory. I will research some long-term memory studies and compare my findings and beliefs if there is an explanation to false memories.

Listen The BBC Radio Show On Eyewitness Accounts

Background: During the broadcast the presenter, Dr. Raj Persaud finds out how difficult it is to recall something accurately when he takes part in a memory recall experiment. He also talks to Andrew Rolph former police officer and Manager of the Identification Bureau for the Grampian Police, about the issues surrounding the accuracy of eyewitness testimony.

How I Intend to Use It:  Review video for claims and argue unreliable claims apply new techniques to extracting information from eyewitness.

Building your Memory

Background:  Mnemonics is the key.  You already have a good memory you just don’t know how to use it.

How I Intend to Use It:  Support my stand on how law enforcement officers and psychologist ask questions during an eyewitness interview.  Understanding how the memory stores information can be retrieved in How can we enhance that process during an eyewitness interview.

What is Muscle Memory

Background:  “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”  If you are learning the wrong techniques, studying the wrong material or practicing a song and singing the wrong words.  The key to a good memory is quality not quantity.

How I Intend to Use It:  Read more about muscle memory to see if there are new techniques that can be used during eyewitness testimony.  Is there a behavior test eyewitness can take to validate memory.  Employers require behavior test prior to new employment.

Eyewitness Memory

Background: Eyewitness testimony is retrieved in stages.  Witnessing the incident, waiting period before giving the evidence, giving the evidence.

How I Intend to Use It: Information will support each stage of retrieval  and look for new ways to extract information, timing, environment, smells, emotions.

Nosewitness

Background:  The sense of smell can assist in criminal investigations.  Prior studies have shown that everyone has a unique odor.  We rely on memory and ear witnesses, what about your nose.

How I Intent to Use:  Support the theory that other than questioning eyewitness we can implement a techniques utilizing the part of the memory that recognizes smells.

How to Improve Eyewitness Testimony

Background:  The more you remember an event the less reliable it becomes. Eyewitness should only have only seconds to remember a event.

How I Intent to Use:  Research the timing of eyewitness testimony.  Questioning an eyewitness immediately after the event.  When it comes to the memory more deliberation is dangerous.