Data_Sheet_1_Improving Time Estimation in Witness Memory.xlsx

The present study sought to determine whether witness memory for duration could be improved. In three studies, we examined the effects of unpacking (breaking an event into its component parts), anchoring (supplying participants with a reference duration), and summation (summing component estimates). Participants watched a video-recorded mock crime and provided duration estimates for components of the crime (e.g., casing the car, unlocking the door, etc.) and for the total crime. Results indicate that bias in estimated duration was less for the sum of the parts than it was for the overall duration estimate. Further, the sum of the individual parts did not equal the total estimate, even though all estimates were given in sequence. Summing the component parts could be a more successful intervention than anchoring or unpacking and is easy to employ with witnesses.

本研究旨在探究目击者时长记忆能否得到改善。在三项研究中，我们考察了拆解法（unpacking，即将事件拆分为其组成部分）、锚定法（anchoring，即为被试提供参考时长）以及求和法（summation，即对各组成部分的估算值进行求和）的干预效应。被试观看了录像录制的模拟犯罪场景，并分别对该犯罪场景的各组成部分（例如，踩点车辆、解锁车门等）以及整个犯罪过程的时长作出估算。结果显示，相较于对整体犯罪时长的直接估算，对各组成部分时长估算值求和后的结果，其估算偏差显著更小。此外，即便所有估算均按顺序依次给出，各组成部分的估算值之和仍与整体时长估算值并不一致。相较于锚定法或拆解法，对组成部分时长进行求和或许是更为有效的干预手段，且该方法易于在目击者群体中应用。