Doctored photos can easily change viewers' recollections of significant historic events, shows a study of 299 subjects aged 19 to 84. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine and the University of Padua in Italy showed study participants pictures of either the 1989 Tiananmen Square protest or a 2003 anti-war protest in Rome. Some of the pictures were genuine, while others had been digitally altered. After viewing the photos, participants answered questions about the events pictured.
Researchers found that when photos of the anti-war protest were altered to look more violent than in real life, participants recalled more physical confrontation, injuries and property damage. They also reported feeling less inclined to participate in future protests. When the famous photo of a lone protestor standing before advancing tanks during the Tiananmen Square protests was altered to include crowds of people on either side, study participants likewise recalled many more people having been in proximity to the tanks.
In a related study published in the same journal, researchers showed that accompanying photos can alter readers' understanding of a news story. In this case, participants edited a news study about a hurricane-affected region accompanied by a photo of the village before or after the hurricane. Although the article made no mention of injury or death, 32 percent of participants who viewed "After" photos recalled having read information about death and injury, compared to just nine percent of those who saw a "Before" photo.
These findings highlight the importance of monitoring published photos for accuracy, particularly in light of a 2003 incident in which a Los Angeles Times photojournalist was fired for altering a picture of the Iraq War.
ABSTRACT: Changing history: doctored photographs affect memory for past public events
ABSTRACT: Photographs can distort memory for the news
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