Can suggestions of non-occurrence lead to claims that witnessed events did not happen?. Issue 3 (3rd July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Azad, Tanjeem; Lindsay, D. Stephen; Zaragoza, Maria S.
• Is Part Of: Journal of general psychology. Volume 149:Issue 3(2022)
• Page Start: 349
• Page End: 370
• Publication Date: 2022-07-03
• Subjects: Denial -- misinformation -- negative misinformation -- repetition -- suggestibility -- suggestions of non-occurrence; Psychology, Experimental -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Periodicals; 150.724
• DOI: 10.1080/00221309.2020.1860889
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1309

Abstract

Abstract: In three experiments, we examined whether general suggestions of non-occurrence –suggestions that experienced events did not occur– would lead participants to claim that events they witnessed never happened. Participants viewed a video depicting the investigation of a child kidnapping case and subsequently were exposed to suggestions of non-occurrence either once (Experiments 1 and 3) or three times (Experiments 2 and 3). The results provided no evidence that single suggestions of non-occurrence influenced participants' memories or belief (Experiments 1 and 3). However, in two experiments (E2 and E3) the results provided clear evidence that repeated elaboration of suggestions of non-occurrence led participants to claim that the events they witnessed never happened. The finding that participants were influenced by repeated, but not single elaboration of suggestions of non-occurrence shows that reflective elaboration processes played an important role in leading participants to disbelieve the events they had witnessed.