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NAPD - Memory Phenomena and False Narrative Creation: An Examination of Suggestibility, Confabulation, and Source Misattribution in Criminal justice, Forensic Mental Health, and Legal Settings


Time: March 10, 2025 - 3-4pm
Location: Webinar

This training will examine various memory phenomena that can cause false narrative creation and its implications within criminal justice, forensic mental health, and legal settings. In particular, three types of memory phenomena will be the main focus of this training: suggestibility, confabulation, and source misattribution. Suggestibility is a person’s predisposition to accepting inaccurate information as fact and incorporating this into memories of an event. In contrast, confabulation occurs when a person creates a new inaccurate memory of an event. Despite no deliberate intention to lie or deceive others, instances of suggestibility and confabulation can undermine everything from assessment and treatment to confessions and eyewitness testimony. For example, false information provided by a person during screening and assessment can contribute to missed or misdiagnoses, which contributes to inappropriate and ineffective treatment and intervention plans. Alternatively, false information provided during police interviews and interrogations, or legal proceedings can result in false confessions, inaccurate eyewitness testimony, and wrongful convictions. Complicating matters, common techniques used during police questioning and cross-examinations like repetitive questioning and negative feedback only exacerbate the risk of these phenomena within forensic mental health and legal settings. The seriousness of these memory phenomena within criminal justice, forensic mental health, and legal settings warrants training in this area.