Cheryl's purse was snatched quickly by a well-dressed man in a crowd. Immediately after the mugging, Cheryl's mother said that the thief was probably a desperate drug addict. When Cheryl provided a statement to police, she described the man as wearing shabby clothes and twitching a lot. Which of the following likely influenced Cheryl's recall of the thief?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The likely influence on Cheryl's recall of the thief is the misinformation effect, which is when misleading information can distort one's memory of an event. In this case, Cheryl's mother's statement about the thief being a drug addict may have influenced Cheryl's memory and perception of the thief's appearance and behavior.

Cheryl's Purse Was Snatched Quickly by a Well-Dressed Man in a Crowd