Unreliable evidence

[igenlode]

I found my missing shopping bag again after three months... in the pocket of a rucksack I hadn't used since taking a weekend away, thus completely disproving my conviction that I had "consciously pushed it aside" in my bag the day before! This neatly explains where and why it had disappeared in the first place, but only goes to emphasise my existing belief that I should make an appallingly bad witness in a criminal case, and that first-hand witness evidence, the supposed gold standard, is actually shockingly unreliable, even when the witnesses are quite honestly convinced that they remember having heard or experienced something :-(


I have decided to retain the string bag which I have been using as a substitute, and to put away the 'flimsier bag' instead, even though the latter takes up less space when folded than the former. I already have another flimsy folding shopper in the pocket, after all...

Comments

[watervole]

Human memory is far more reconstructive than people believe.

Many experiments show that people remember what they think happened, rather than what actually happened.

eg. The colour of the person holding a knife in a fight is more likely to be recalled as black.

[igenlode]

I suppose it's a case of the human brain helpfully trying to fill in the gaps using whatever it can find in the vicinity, as it does in order to give us the illusion of unimpeded vision...

[watervole]

You're probably right. It paints in the background in a familiar way.

On another topic entirely, where do you live?

In the unlikely event that I'm ever in the vicinity, I'd love to take you out to lunch!

[igenlode]

I'm based in London, which is not a million miles from where you are (compared to, say, Yorkshire...) but not exactly next door either ;-)

And that's a very kind offer -- thank you!