Effect of a verbatim instruction on earwitness recall

When tasked with recalling a heard conversation, most individuals are unable to remember specific details. In this study, we tested the effect of Verbatim Recall Instruction (VRI) at recall. Drawing on fuzzy-trace theory, we hypothesised that the use of VRI would lead earwitnesses to use their verbatim mnesic trace to produce a more detailed recall. We compared the quantity and the quality of 42 recalls from participants who had received the VRI or the Free Recall Instruction (FRI). We analysed the level of detail of participants’ recall along a fuzzy to verbatim continuum. Results showed that participants having received a VRI recalled information that was more correct and closer to the original phrasing. However, differences in procedure make the VRI difficult to compare with other studies. Methodological differences are accordingly discussed. Findings suggest that VRI encourages the recollection of verbatim traces, in turn benefiting the recall of detailed elements of a conversation. These findings support fuzzy-trace theory.