NCJ Number
82828
Journal
Social Action and the Law Volume: 7 Issue: 5/6 Dated: (1981) Pages: 67-72
Date Published
1981
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Findings are presented from research that examined the effectiveness of hypnosis in enhancing the memory of eyewitnesses to crimes.
Abstract
A total of 35 subjects divided into three groups witnessed a simulated crime presented via a sound-slide show in which a violent assault in a prison was depicted. All subjects were matched on their degree of susceptibility to hypnosis. Following a 48-hour retention interval, subjects in the two experimental groups were hypnotized with instructions to recount the crime events with particular attention to certain aspects of the crime's portrayal. Findings show that the best predictor of eyewitness accuracy is the subject's level of initial acquisition of observations. Hypnosis directed to memory enhancement did not improve the extent or accuracy of recall. Hypnotized witnesses showed a tendency to try harder to remember observations and to be overly responsive to leading questions, suggestions, and biases of the questioner. Generally, all witnesses, especially those who are hypnotized, have a tendency to try to improve their descriptions of suspects under the social pressure of being interrogated. No correlation was found between hypnosis susceptibility scores and memory accuracy. What remains to be tested is the combination of a highly susceptible hypnotic subject paired with a skilled unbiased hypnotist who might use more sophisticated techniques of hypnosis than were used in this research. Still, the findings of this study suggest that courts should be cautious in admitting hypnotically induced testimony, since its accuracy has been shown to be highly questionable and the subject is vulnerable to the suggestions and biases of the questioner. Samples of newspaper articles on testimony obtained under hypnosis are presented, and 10 references are listed.