Examining the effects of legal articulation in memory accuracy

Abstract

The present research investigated the effects of legal articulation on police cadet memory performance in applied contexts. Legal articulation is a memory retrieval framework used by police officers to recall their actions for legal procedures and courtroom testimony. This research compared the level of detail (quantity) and accuracy (quality) of police cadet’s memories for a low-stress crime event under two different memory retrieval frameworks: legal articulation and serial recall. The findings can be used to guide police training programs to use procedures that support reliable memory recalls. No significant differences were found after the initial retrieval; however, significant differences were found in both quantity and quality of recall after a one-day delay. When serial recall was used initially to recall the event, the final retrieval was significantly more detailed and accurate than participants that initially recalled the event using legal articulation. These findings can be used to assist police agencies in their formal applied training programs for police officers.