Why Witness Memory Can Mislead Investigations | The Psychology Every Investigator Should Know

Most incident investigations depend heavily on witness accounts, but what if human memory is far less reliable than we assume?

In this episode, Christian Harris is joined by Elizabeth Hyde and Dr Samantha Masley, experts in witness memory, psychology and investigations, to explore the fascinating science behind how people remember events and why those memories can sometimes be misleading.

Together, they discuss why memory is not a perfect recording of reality, how stress and trauma influence recall, why confident witnesses are not always the most accurate, and how investigators can unintentionally contaminate evidence through poor questioning techniques.

The conversation also explores the growing attention courts are paying to witness reliability, the role of cognitive biases such as hindsight bias, and practical steps investigators can take to gather better evidence and improve the quality of their investigations.

In this episode:

• Why memory is not like a video recording
• How stress affects memory formation and recall
• The dangers of witness contamination
• Why confidence does not equal accuracy
• Common mistakes investigators make when interviewing witnesses
• Open questioning and free recall techniques
• The impact of hindsight bias on investigations
• What courts are saying about witness evidence
• Practical ways to improve incident investigations

Whether you're a health and safety professional, investigator, lawyer, manager, or anyone responsible for gathering evidence after an incident, this episode offers valuable insights into the psychology of memory and how it influences decision-making.

Connect with the Guests

• Elizabeth Hyde: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-hyde-hesper/
• Samantha Masley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-samantha-masley-62524564/
• Hesper GRC: www.hespergrc.com

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