Ideas worth spreading

Why eyewitnesses get it wrong

1,484,853 views | Scott Fraser • TEDxUSC

Scott Fraser studies how humans remember crimes -- and bear witness to them. In this powerful talk, which focuses on a deadly shooting at sunset, he suggests that even close-up eyewitnesses to a crime can create "memories" they could not have seen. Why? Because the brain abhors a vacuum. Editor's note: In the original version of this talk, Scott Fraser misspoke about available footage of Two World Trade Center (Tower 2). The misstatement has been edited out for clarity.

Scott Fraser studies how humans remember crimes -- and bear witness to them. In this powerful talk, which focuses on a deadly shooting at sunset, he suggests that even close-up eyewitnesses to a crime can create "memories" they could not have seen. Why? Because the brain abhors a vacuum. Editor's note: In the original version of this talk, Scott Fraser misspoke about available footage of Two World Trade Center (Tower 2). The misstatement has been edited out for clarity.

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxUSC, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

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About the speaker

Scott Fraser

Forensic psychologist, expert witness

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Scott Fraser is a forensic psychologist who thinks deeply about the fallibility of human memory and encourages a more scientific approach to trial evidence.

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This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxUSC, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.