The effect of feedback at test on source memory performance

Previous research has demonstrated that witnesses can come to believe they saw details that were only suggested to them after the witnessed event. For both theoretical and practical reasons, there is interest in developing techniques that reduce the effect of misleading post-event information. The present study examined the effect of receiving feedback at the time of retrieval on eyewitness suggestibility. All participants watched a videotaped crime of a home burglary and then answered questions that contained misleading information. On a final source memory test, participants that were provided with feedback as to the accuracy of their attributions during the first part of the test, significantly reduced the number of source misattributions made on the second part of the test. Thus, feedback at retrieval appears to be a promising technique for reducing eyewitness memory errors