Lecture Notes: The Case of Steve Titus and Memory Research

Background of the Case

• Steve Titus
  • 31-year-old restaurant manager in Seattle, Washington.
  • Engaged to Gretchen.
  • Wrongfully accused and convicted of rape based on mistaken identity.
  • His car and appearance resembled that of the actual rapist.
  • Victim initially identified his photo as "the closest" and later expressed absolute certainty.
  • After his conviction, an investigative journalist uncovered the real rapist, leading to Titus' release.

Aftermath and Civil Suit

• Titus lost his job, savings, and fiancée due to the wrongful conviction.
• He filed a lawsuit against the police.
• Titus died from a stress-related heart attack shortly before his civil trial.

Memory Research

• Researcher’s Focus: Studies false memories, not forgetting.
• False Memories
  • Over 300 cases in the U.S. where innocent people were wrongly convicted due to faulty eyewitness memory.
  • Memory is not like a recording device; it is constructive and reconstructive.

Experiments on Memory

• Leading Questions

  • Using different wording (e.g., "hit" vs "smashed") can alter witnesses' memory of speed and events.
  • Example: Memory of seeing nonexistent broken glass.

• Experiments with Stressful Events

  • Military training exercise: Soldiers misidentified interrogators when fed suggestive information.
  • Demonstrates how misinformation can alter memories.

Misinformation and Memory Contamination

• Misinformation can come from:
  • Leading questions.
  • Discussions with other witnesses.
  • Media coverage.

Extreme Memory Problems in Therapy

• Patients emerging from therapy with extreme false memories.
• Investigation revealed certain psychotherapies might contribute to these false memories.
• Experiments were designed to understand how false memories are created.

Planting False Memories

• Experiments
  • Planted false memories of events like being lost in a mall, nearly drowning, or being attacked.
  • Explored how these false memories affected behavior—e.g., food preferences.

Ethical Considerations

• Ethical implications of using memory manipulation.
• Considerations for parents using memory techniques for beneficial purposes.

Conclusion and Reflection

• Memory’s reliability is questioned; independent corroboration is necessary.
• The case of Steve Titus highlights the fragility and impact of false memories.
• Researcher advocates increased awareness of memory fallibility.

Personal Reflection

• Researcher’s Experience
  • Faced legal and professional challenges for exposing false memory issues.
  • Balances the importance of understanding memory with ethical considerations.