Beyond Cognition: Why We “Remember” Things That Never Happened
Have you ever been absolutely certain you witnessed an action, only to discover it never actually occurred? In my laboratory, we have found that the second most common eyewitness error, behind only the physical appearance of a perpetrator, is rooted in pure imagination. For instance, when shown a static photograph of a crime in progress, people frequently and inadvertently create vivid “memories” of subsequent actions that never happened outside their own minds.
While we often attribute eyewitness mistakes to physical limitations, human memory is constantly reconfigured by our personal beliefs, imagination, and emotions. In my latest article, Eyewitness to What Isn’t, I explore why we must look beyond pure cognitive science to fully understand these distortions. From the psychology of alien abduction reports to recent research on how negative events themselves trigger false beliefs, the evidence points to a powerful truth: the horror, fear, or disgust inherent in a criminal justice situation can actively reshape our recollection of it.
To understand the true reliability of eyewitness memory, we must examine the complex, interactive relationship between cognition and emotion. I invite you to read the full essay to explore how these non cognitive factors influence the forensic realm and the criminal justice system.
Read Full Article on Psychology Today
Originally posted December 1, 2025
