Eyewitness memories: can you miss what’s happening right in front of you?

The scene of an incident in a room is taped off, and a woman in a blue shirt is standing talking with a police officer in a dark uniform taking notes.

In a famous case in the US, a police officer was pursing a suspect, and ran straight past an assault without seeing it. But how??

Creating, storing and retrieving memories is a complex process. It’s surprisingly easy for it to be unintentionally messed up by outside factors, and this can be crucial if you’re called to give evidence in court.

Dr Hayley Cullen has been studying what can shape and even alter our memories, particularly when witnessing intense events like accidents or crimes.

She’s Lecturer and Researcher in Forensic Psychology at Macquarie University, and joined us on the Thursday Daily this morning.

Want to read more?

Article in The Lighthouse: Please explain: Is it possible to miss something happening right in front of you?

Research paper in the journal Memory: Does experiencing inattentional blindness for crime influence eyewitness recall?

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