Definition
Memory becoming less accurate because of interference from post-event information.
Classification reasoning
The misinformation effect comes into play after a decision has been made and acted upon. The new information generated from act phase overwrites the information gathered during the observe phase.
Impact
The new information generated creates a bias towards the decision clouding the information gathered previously. This new information systematically removes the rationality in the act phase which could lead to highly biased future decisions.
Debiasing techniques
Documenting critical information and keeping in touch with it regularly would help in keeping memories more accurate. Moreover, verify if the information and assumptions made in the ‘pre-event’ phase corresponds with the ‘post-event’ information. Update the document in case of any mismatch for future reference.
Related biases
- Post-purchase rationalization