The effects of acute stress on eyewitness memory: an integrative review for eyewitness researchers

Abstract

The eyewitness and fundamental memory research fields have investigated the effects of acute stress at encoding on memory performance for decades yet results often demonstrate contrasting conclusions. In this review, we first summarise findings on the effects of acute encoding stress on memory performance and discuss how these research fields often come to these diverging findings regarding the effects of encoding stress on memory performance. Next, we critically evaluate methodological choices that underpin these discrepancies, emphasising the strengths and limitations of different stress-memory experiments. Specifically, we elaborate on choice of stressors and stimuli, stress manipulation checks, stressor timing, and the interval between encoding and retrieval and discuss how methodological shortcomings in both the eyewitness and fundamental memory fields have limited our understanding of how encoding stress may affect eyewitness memory performance. Finally, we propose several recommendations for researchers interested in this topic, such as confirming stress inductions with physiological measures, implementing sufficient retrieval intervals to isolate the memory phase of interest and using ecologically valid memory paradigms. We conclude that the best progress can be made if researchers are responsive to the methodologies and findings reported in other research fields and encourage collaborations between the different disciplines.

Examining the effects of negative emotion and interviewing procedure on eyewitness recall

“…Mixed findings in the extant literature appear to stem from underlying methodological discrepancies across studies, including fundamental differences in the extent of encoding‐retrieval delay and the manipulation of arousal (Christianson, 1992; Marr et al, 2021; Sauerland et al, 2016). In the planned study, our primary goal is to elucidate the role of emotional arousal in eyewitness memory by examining the phenomenon under the aforementioned conditions of ecological validity (i.e., by varying the delay between encoding and retrieval and maintaining congruity between the emotion source and TBR event).…”

“…Given the distressing nature of many criminal events (e.g., Shepherd et al, 1999) and the role of emotional arousal in memory formation and retrieval (e.g., see McGaugh, 2003), the question of emotional memory is of particular interest and importance within eyewitness contexts. Although researchers have studied this phenomenon for decades (Christianson, 1992; Reisberg & Heuer, 2004, 2007), an interdisciplinary consensus is yet to be established (see Marr et al, 2021; Sauerland et al, 2016). The divergent effects of emotional arousal—ranging from memory enhancement to memory impairment—appear to stem from differences in methodology such as the encoding‐retrieval delay and the experimental manipulation of arousal (e.g., Christianson, 1992; Sauerland et al, 2016).…”

“…Several researchers have suggested, upon closer scrutiny of the relevant literature, that (a) there is considerable variation in the extent to which researchers' methodological choices reflect real world conditions and (b) that such methodological choices may influence the direction of observed effects (see Christianson, 1992; Marr et al, 2021; Sauerland et al, 2016). Here, we highlight two such considerations: (1) the delay between encoding and retrieval, and (2) the source of emotional arousal and its (in)congruence with the target event.…”

Quantification of Tyrosine in Pharmaceuticals with the New Biosensor Based on Laccase-Modified Polypyrrole Polymeric Thin Film

“…One of the reasons for the present investigation is stress, which is an unavoidable part of human existence and which can take extreme forms, causing numerous mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep disorders, and thyroid disorders [ 5 , 6 , 7 ].…”

Memory outcomes of police officers viewing their body-worn camera video.

“…This factor is relevant to the potential influence of viewing BWC video on memory for an original event because (a) the similarity between the thematic content of the original event and the BWC video is high and (b) memory for one’s state of mind during a highly stressful event such as a use-of-force incident is likely to be weak. (see Marr et al, 2021; Wolf, 2009, for a review of the research on stress and memory. )…”