Factors influencing the misinformation effect

Factors that make it more likely that event happenings will be distorted and lead to false memories:

• Discussing the event with other witnesses. Conflicting reports might reshape or distort a witness's original memory of the event.
• Reading or watching news reports. People often forget the original source of information and believe they observed something personally when they really heard it in a news report.
• Repeated exposure to misinformation.
• The passage of time.