Verbal Overshadowing Effect: Beyond Crime Scenes and Lineups

Voiceover

Presenter(s)(s)

Jana Norris Oliver

Abstract or Description

The Verbal Overshadowing Effect (VOE) is a kind of memory interference. Schooler and Engstler-Schooler (1990) define it as impaired recognition performance after one has verbalized the appearance of previously seen visual stimuli. In VOE studies, a complex scene or event is observed and memory of it is tested via a recognition task, generally choosing a face from a line-up. Many VOE studies compare one group who records details of an event to a separate group who does not record any details of the event. The no-detail group may record other information or participate in unrelated writing activities. Common results from VOE studies indicate that participants struggle with recalling specific details of the witnessed event, i.e. faces of those involved, if they have written about the stimulus in the interim between the stimulus and recall. Many studies use crime scenes as the VOE stimulus, but the current study aims to remove the stressor of viewing and reporting on a crime scene; instead, participants will watch a non-crime-centric scenario. Like other studies (Baker & Reysen, 2020; Monzel et al., 2024), the randomized groups will perform a writing task between the stimulus and the recognition memory task, with one group writing about the scene and one group writing about their plans for the evening. This study will add to the VOE literature a new take on the common stimulus of a crime scene and determine if the VOE extends to other types of stimulus and recognition, such as a comedy scene. 

Mentor

Haley McCoy