Citation

van Oorsouw K, Merckelbach H. Appl. Cogn. Psychol. 2012; 26(1): 82-90.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/acp.1799

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This field study investigated to what extent memory of criminally relevant details is affected at (close to) zero (MBAC = 0.00%), moderate (MBAC = 0.06%), and high (MBAC = 0.16%) levels of alcohol intoxication. Participants (N = 76) were approached in bars and were invited to watch a mock crime from a perpetrator perspective. We also measured their blood alcohol concentration levels. After 3-5 days, when participants were sober, they underwent a free and cued recall task about the mock crime. Compared with sober controls, both moderately and highly intoxicated individuals were less complete when recollecting crime details, recalling up to 33% fewer correct details. Overall, intoxicated participants were less accurate during the cued recall task (i.e. they produced more errors) relative to sober participants. These accuracy effects were dose-dependent for cued recall of salient features. Implications for police interrogations of defendants are discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Language: en