Does the Self-Administered Inventory improve accurate retrieval of stressful memories? 

• In Event: Advancing Police Research

Abstract

Though it was long assumed that memory was an exact recording of events, research has established that memory is malleable (Loftus, 1979; Wells 2018). The collection and preservation of memory for use in a criminal investigation is a delicate process. This process becomes more complicated when memory is impacted by stress (Deffenbacher, 2004). Researchers and law enforcement have proposed and used various methods, including the Self-Administered Inventory (SAI; Gabbert & Hope 2009). The current study was a conceptual replication of Krix et al. (2016) and compared the accuracy of memory collected with the SAI to memory collected with a free recall question. Stress was induced through a digital stress test created by Almazrouei and colleagues (2022). A 2 (stress) x 2 (interview type) between-subjects ANOVA was used to analyze memory accuracy. Results are forthcoming. The outcome of this study will provide insight into what impact stress has on memory and improve upon the way that memory is collected and preserved.  

Authors

• Elizabeth Quinby, Texas State University

• Angela Jones, Texas State University