Magic of neuroscience

Change blindness and the eyewitness

  

Change blindness has thrown doubt to a great number of eyewitness accounts. The misidentification of an innocent bystander at the crime scene as the offender is an example of change blindness. One theory proposed as to why eyewitnesses misidentify an innocent bystander at the crime scene suggests that the misidentification of an innocent bystander occurs because the eyewitness infers that the perpetrator and bystander are the same person. These instances of unconscious transference that take place may actually be the result of change blindness. Change blindness is the phenomenon that occurs when a person fails to detect large changes between one viewed scene and another.

So an eyewitness to an accident may identify an innocent bystander as the driver of the vehicle simply due to change blindness.
 

 

 

 

 

 
A study was conducted where a person was approached for directions. During the discussion people carrying a large door passed between the two, as shown on the right. The person asking for directions quickly changed with another and the person giving the directions was oblivious to this. Approximately 50% of people taking place in this test did not pick up the switch and continued talking as though nothing had happened.