Perceptual and Memory Distortions (too cool not to post)

[Likwid]

This is too cool not to post, I know it's not directly relating to motorcycle riding how many times have you heard someone in an accident explain it as "it seemed like everything was going in slow motion" (I was in a head on collision when I was 18 and it happened the same way).

This article was published in 2008 and was directly based off officers involved in shootings but a lot of these theories and research have been around for a while. While none of us will be involved with shootouts (I hope) we can almost all relate to the "life and death" reactions.

http://www.aele.org/law/2008FPAUG/wb-19.pdf

Perception and memory can be quirky, as exemplified by these representative samples taken from

actual events. The exact physical processes that govern perception and memory are yet to be fully

understood. Given that police officers will be held fully accountable for their every action during an

officer involved shooting, the accuracy and truthfulness of their statements will be intensely scrutinized.

It is essential that police officers, and everyone who will be second guessing their actions and their

statements, have a basic understanding that expecting officers to have perfect and totally accurate recall

of any event, including an officer involved shooting, is not realistic. In fact, this basic premise applies to

virtually all humans in all situations. The fact that people are almost never capable of total and perfect

recall of events is agreed on by all memory researchers as a perusal of any basic textbook on memory

will confirm.

the effects of the experiential thinking can be:

< fragmented memory instead of an integrated narrative

< based on past experiences instead of conscious appraisal of events

< intuitive and holistic instead of analytic and logical

< oriented toward immediate action instead of reflection and delayed action

< highly efficient and rapid cognitive processing instead of slow, deliberative thinking

< “seized by emotions” instead of “in control of our thoughts”

< “experiencing is believing” instead of requiring justification via logic and evidence

Edited September 11, 2009 by Likwid

[dmagicglock]

good stuff, in that class i took at TDI this is exactly some of the stuff they talk about and also tell you not to give a statement immediately and seek legal counsel first to save your butt from future criminal or civil implications.

[Likwid]

good stuff, in that class i took at TDI this is exactly some of the stuff they talk about and also tell you not to give a statement immediately and seek legal counsel first to save your butt from future criminal or civil implications.

On that note I highly encourage people to watch this video... 48 minutes and I watched every second of it... and I have ADHD (also, our CCW instructor directed us to this as well.... NEVER TALK TO THE POLICE WITHOUT CONSULTING A LAWYER)

For those of you who won't watch this, one line really sticks with me.

"Anything you say WILL be used against you in the court of law... NOTHING you say will be used to DEFEND you in the court of law"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXkI4t7nuc

Edited September 11, 2009 by Likwid

[Pedro]

^ Nice video, I recall seeing it somewhere a while ago. Lot of good info in that video.

[Likwid]

^ Nice video, I recall seeing it somewhere a while ago. Lot of good info in that video.

Yah, it was kind of shocking. That video plus the study on perceptual memory leads me to the conclusion that even our best memories are possibly (and very likely) incorrect

[Artmageddon]

I was just reading about something like this on cracked.com. For a comedy site, it is pretty insightful.

http://www.cracked.com/article/114_5-superpowers-you-didnt-know-your-body-was-hiding-from-you/

Not related to perception, but still a damned fine article on cracked as well....

http://www.cracked.com/article_14990_what-monkeysphere.html

[Likwid]

I was just reading about something like this on cracked.com. For a comedy site, it is pretty insightful.

http://www.cracked.com/article/114_5-superpowers-you-didnt-know-your-body-was-hiding-from-you/

Not related to perception, but still a damned fine article on cracked as well....

http://www.cracked.com/article_14990_what-monkeysphere.html

Dude! That's where I got it from!