Within Memory
How Witness Groups Can Merge UFO Sound Memories
Witnesses who compare stories can unintentionally align their memories, including what the object supposedly sounded like.
On this page
- How post event discussion changes individual recall
- Why matching accounts are not always independent evidence
- Interview practices that preserve separate witness memories
Page outline Jump by section
Introduction
When several people report seeing the same unidentified aerial object, matching descriptions are often treated as powerful evidence. If multiple witnesses independently describe the same humming, buzzing or vibrating sound, the account can appear especially persuasive. The problem is that witness memories are not always independent by the time investigators hear them.
Psychological research has repeatedly shown that people who discuss an event after it happens can unintentionally influence one another’s memories. Details that began as uncertain impressions can become shared recollections, including descriptions of sound. In UFO cases, where unusual noises are often brief, ambiguous or difficult to identify, post-event discussion can make separate memories converge into a single group narrative. That does not mean witnesses are lying. In many cases, people sincerely remember a sound that became reinforced through conversation, repeated interviews or exposure to other accounts. [Taylor & Francis Online]tandfonline.comParticipants viewed crime videos and then after a delay (20 min or…Read more… [Abertay University]rke.abertay.ac.ukAbertay UniversityMemory conformity: can eyewitnesses influence each…by F Gabbert · 2003 · Cited by 630 — A significant proportion (71…
How Post-Event Discussion Changes Individual Recall
Many UFO sightings involve confusion, surprise and incomplete sensory information. Witnesses may remember seeing an unusual light or object but remain uncertain about accompanying sounds. In the minutes or hours after the event, people naturally compare impressions.
A typical exchange might begin with uncertainty:
“Did you hear a humming noise?”
Another witness who only remembers an unusual sensation or faint background sound may start considering that possibility. Over time, the suggestion can become integrated into memory.
Researchers call this process memory conformity or co-witness contamination. It occurs when people incorporate information acquired from other witnesses into their own recollections. Laboratory studies have demonstrated that witnesses frequently adopt details introduced during discussion and later report them as personal memories. Abertay University [Digital Commons]digitalcommons.unl.eduPeople's memory can be influenced by information encountered after an inci-.Read more…
This effect is especially relevant to UFO sound reports because sound is often less clearly encoded than visual information. Witnesses may focus on movement, shape or brightness while paying only partial attention to acoustic details. Later conversations can fill those gaps.
For example, a group may initially describe an object as:
- Silent.
- Making “some kind of noise”.
- Producing a vibration rather than a sound.
- Emitting a distant hum.
After discussion, the group’s descriptions may gradually align around a specific characterisation such as an electrical buzzing sound, a transformer-like hum or a low-frequency vibration.
The resulting agreement can feel convincing because every witness genuinely believes the memory is their own. [PMC]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPMCOnline misinformation can distort witnesses' memoriesPMCby M Kękuś · 2024 · Cited by 2 — The memory conformity effect occurs when people witness a given incident (e.g., a crime) and then tal… [PMC]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.goveffects of perceived memory ability on memory conformity…by LA Monds · 2019 · Cited by 19 — The present study investigated the impact…
Why Matching Sound Accounts Are Not Always Independent Evidence
One reason group UFO sightings receive attention is the assumption that several witnesses reporting the same thing must strengthen reliability. In principle, genuinely independent agreement does carry evidential value. The difficulty lies in determining whether the accounts remained independent.
Research by Fiona Gabbert and colleagues found that witnesses who discussed an event often incorporated information obtained from one another. In one influential study, a substantial proportion of participants later reported details that originated with another witness rather than from their own observation. [Abertay University]rke.abertay.ac.ukAbertay UniversityMemory conformity: can eyewitnesses influence each…by F Gabbert · 2003 · Cited by 630 — A significant proportion (71…
Applied to UFO reports, this means that five people describing the same sound are not necessarily providing five separate pieces of evidence. They may be providing one memory that has been socially reinforced.
Several factors make this especially likely:
- Uneven confidence levels. People who seem more certain can influence less confident witnesses.
- Assumed expertise. A witness perceived as knowledgeable about aircraft, electronics or acoustics may become the reference point for the group.
- Repeated retelling. Every retelling offers another opportunity for memory alignment.
- Desire for consistency. People often assume others noticed details they themselves missed and adjust their recollections accordingly. [Maastricht University]cris.maastrichtuniversity.nlMaastricht UniversityThe effects of co-witness discussion on confidence and…by J Rechdan · 2018 · Cited by 17 — Co-witness confi- denc… [ScienceDirect A witness who initially says]sciencedirect.comThe present study examined whether an…Read more…, “I think there was a faint noise,” may later report, “The object produced a deep electrical hum,” not because of deception, but because repeated exposure to the group’s version gradually reshaped the original memory.
How Sound Descriptions Become More Specific
One striking pattern in witness accounts is increasing sensory detail over time.
Immediately after an event, witnesses often provide broad descriptions:
- “A humming sound.”
- “A vibration.”
- “Something mechanical.”
- “Not completely silent.”
Months later, the same account may contain highly specific comparisons:
- Like a high-voltage transformer.
- Like power lines in damp weather.
- Like a turbine mixed with a diesel engine.
- Like a low-frequency resonance felt through the chest.
Memory research suggests that reconstructed recollections naturally become more coherent and detailed as people repeatedly retrieve and discuss them. Information from conversations can merge with genuine perception until the distinction disappears. [BPS Psych Hub]bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.comBPS Psych Hub The history of an idea: The misinformation effectBPS Psych HubThe history of an idea: The misinformation effect - Loftus24 Dec 2025 — Misinformation effects in eyewitness memory: The pre… [PMC]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPMCExperimental and meta-analytic evidence that sourcePMCby R O’Donnell · 2023 · Cited by 1 — Below, we first review the literature regarding the effect of repetition of misinformation on sug…
In UFO investigations, this creates a particular challenge. A detailed sound description may appear more credible than a vague one, yet the more elaborate account may actually be the product of later reconstruction rather than a more accurate record of the original experience.
Group Dynamics That Encourage Shared UFO Sound Memories
Not all witnesses influence one another equally. Certain social conditions make memory convergence more likely.
The Dominant Narrator Effect
Groups often develop an informal spokesperson. This person may be more confident, more vocal or more invested in explaining what happened.
If that individual strongly asserts that the object emitted a particular sound, other witnesses may gradually adopt the same description. Research on co-witness discussion has shown that confidence and perceived authority can increase susceptibility to memory conformity. [Maastricht University]cris.maastrichtuniversity.nlMaastricht UniversityThe effects of co-witness discussion on confidence and…by J Rechdan · 2018 · Cited by 17 — Co-witness confi- denc…
Searching for a Common Explanation
Unusual sounds are difficult to categorise. Witnesses frequently compare them to familiar sources such as:
- Electrical equipment.
- Helicopters.
- Jet engines.
- Industrial machinery.
Once a group settles on a comparison, it can become the accepted memory framework. Later interviews may reveal striking agreement, even though the agreement developed after the event.
Community Reinforcement
Some UFO cases develop local communities of discussion. Witnesses may attend meetings, participate in online forums or speak with investigators who already know other accounts.
In these environments, a sound description can spread through the witness network and become part of the accepted narrative. Later witnesses may unknowingly absorb those details when reconstructing their own memories. The broader misinformation literature shows that repeated exposure to information can increase acceptance and integration into memory. [PMC]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPMCOnline misinformation can distort witnesses' memoriesPMCby M Kękuś · 2024 · Cited by 2 — The memory conformity effect occurs when people witness a given incident (e.g., a crime) and then tal… [ScienceDirect]sciencedirect.comThe present study examined whether an…Read more…
The Difference Between Agreement and Independence
A key investigative question is not whether witnesses agree, but when they began agreeing.
Two scenarios can produce identical-looking testimony:
Scenario A: Independent recall
Three witnesses are separated immediately after the sighting. Each independently reports a low humming sound before hearing any other account.
Scenario B: Memory convergence
Three witnesses discuss the event together for an hour before being interviewed. By the time statements are recorded, all three describe the same humming sound.
The final reports may appear equally consistent, yet their evidential value differs substantially. The first reflects independent corroboration. The second may largely reflect memory conformity.
This distinction is well recognised in eyewitness research, where agreement between witnesses is not automatically treated as proof of accuracy. Shared errors can spread through discussion just as easily as correct observations. [Digital Commons]digitalcommons.unl.eduPeople's memory can be influenced by information encountered after an inci-.Read more… [Abertay University]rke.abertay.ac.ukAbertay UniversityMemory conformity: can eyewitnesses influence each…by F Gabbert · 2003 · Cited by 630 — A significant proportion (71…
Interview Practices That Preserve Separate Witness Memories
Because co-witness contamination is a known problem, investigators in many fields try to document accounts before witnesses compare notes.
For UFO reports involving unusual sounds, several practices are especially useful:
Separate Interviews First
Witnesses should be interviewed individually as soon as practical. Questions about sound should be recorded before exposure to other accounts.
This helps preserve uncertainty that might otherwise disappear through group discussion.
Record Exact Early Language
Initial wording matters.
A statement such as:
“I heard something, but I don’t know what.”
contains valuable information that may be lost if later transformed into:
“It sounded like an electrical generator.”
Keeping original descriptions allows investigators to track how memories evolve over time.
Ask Open Questions
Leading questions can unintentionally create new details.
Questions such as:
- “Did it make a humming sound?”
- “Was it like electricity?”
may encourage witnesses to adopt suggested interpretations.
Open-ended prompts generally produce cleaner evidence:
- “Describe any sounds you remember.”
- “What did the noise remind you of, if anything?”
These approaches reduce the risk of introducing new memory content. ScienceDirect [Simply Psychology]simplypsychology.orgEyewitness Testimony in Psychologyby S McLeod · Cited by 1 — Eyewitness testimony is a legal term that refers to an account given by peop…
Compare Timelines of Statements
Later consistency is easier to evaluate when early statements have been preserved.
Investigators can examine:
- Which sound details appeared immediately.
- Which appeared only after discussion.
- Whether witnesses became more similar over time.
A growing level of agreement is not necessarily evidence of accuracy. In some cases it may indicate ongoing memory convergence.
Why This Matters for UFO Sound Reports
UFO sound descriptions occupy an unusual position in witness testimony. They are often memorable enough to be discussed extensively but ambiguous enough to be reshaped through social interaction.
As a result, highly consistent accounts should not automatically be dismissed, but neither should consistency be assumed to prove independence. Research on memory conformity demonstrates that witnesses can sincerely share the same inaccurate detail after discussing an event. [Abertay University]rke.abertay.ac.ukAbertay UniversityMemory conformity: can eyewitnesses influence each…by F Gabbert · 2003 · Cited by 630 — A significant proportion (71… [Taylor & Francis Online]tandfonline.comParticipants viewed crime videos and then after a delay (20 min or…Read more…
For investigators, the most valuable sound evidence is usually the earliest version of each witness’s recollection, recorded before group discussion has a chance to smooth away differences. Those early, separate accounts often reveal where memories genuinely overlap and where later conversation may have merged them into a single shared story. [Digital Commons]digitalcommons.unl.eduPeople's memory can be influenced by information encountered after an inci-.Read more… [Aberdeen Research Portal]abdn.elsevierpure.comfrom the archive memory conformity can eyewitnesses influence eacAberdeen Research PortalCan eyewitnesses influence each other's memories for an…by F Gabbert · 2011 — The paper was the first to exten…
Amazon book picks
Further Reading
Books and field guides related to How Witness Groups Can Merge UFO Sound Memories. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
Mistakes Were Made (but Not by Me)
Shows how people adopt and defend shared interpretations.
eBay marketplace picks
Marketplace Samples
Example marketplace items related to this page. Use the search link to explore similar finds on eBay.
Endnotes
-
Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Title: PMCOnline misinformation can distort witnesses’ memories
Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10829763/Source snippet
PMCby M Kękuś · 2024 · Cited by 2 — The memory conformity effect occurs when people witness a given incident (e.g., a crime) and then tal...
-
Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6762151/Source snippet
effects of perceived memory ability on memory conformity...by LA Monds · 2019 · Cited by 19 — The present study investigated the impact...
-
Source: sciencedirect.com
Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0001691806000515Source snippet
The present study examined whether an...Read more...
-
Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Title: PMCExperimental and meta-analytic evidence that source
Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10492197/Source snippet
PMCby R O’Donnell · 2023 · Cited by 1 — Below, we first review the literature regarding the effect of repetition of misinformation on sug...
-
Source: sciencedirect.com
Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2211368114000230Source snippet
ScienceDirectHow to protect eyewitness memory against the...by H Blank · 2014 · Cited by 280 — The main message of this meta-analysis is...
-
Source: sciencedirect.com
Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0001691807000893Source snippet
The role of co-witness relationship in susceptibility to...by L Hope · 2008 · Cited by 186 — The current study examined the role of co-w...
-
Source: youtube.com
Title: False Memories and the Misinformation Effect
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epXmFjTqWeUSource snippet
Psychology - Eyewitness Testimony...
-
Source: youtube.com
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6aY9Wr-xjISource snippet
Eyewitness Testimony | Memory | A Level Psychology...
-
Source: youtube.com
Title: Eyewitness Testimony | Memory | A Level Psychology
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcaYTGnuqXISource snippet
Elizabeth F. Loftus - False Memories...
-
Source: tandfonline.com
Link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13218710802620380Source snippet
Participants viewed crime videos and then after a delay (20 min or...Read more...
-
Source: rke.abertay.ac.uk
Link: https://rke.abertay.ac.uk/en/publications/memory-conformity-can-eyewitnesses-influence-each-others-memoriesSource snippet
Abertay UniversityMemory conformity: can eyewitnesses influence each...by F Gabbert · 2003 · Cited by 630 — A significant proportion (71...
-
Source: digitalcommons.unl.edu
Link: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1385&context=ajacourtreviewSource snippet
People's memory can be influenced by information encountered after an inci-.Read more...
-
Source: abdn.elsevierpure.com
Title: from the archive memory conformity can eyewitnesses influence eac
Link: https://abdn.elsevierpure.com/en/publications/from-the-archive-memory-conformity-can-eyewitnesses-influence-eac/Source snippet
Aberdeen Research PortalCan eyewitnesses influence each other's memories for an...by F Gabbert · 2011 — The paper was the first to exten...
-
Source: cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl
Link: https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/files/64063698/Sauerland_2018_The_effects_of_co_witness_discussion_on_confidence.pdfSource snippet
Maastricht UniversityThe effects of co-witness discussion on confidence and...by J Rechdan · 2018 · Cited by 17 — Co-witness confi- denc...
-
Source: bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Title: BPS Psych Hub The history of an idea: The misinformation effect
Link: https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/lcrp.70020Source snippet
BPS Psych HubThe history of an idea: The misinformation effect - Loftus24 Dec 2025 — Misinformation effects in eyewitness memory: The pre...
-
Source: simplypsychology.org
Link: https://www.simplypsychology.org/eyewitness-testimony.htmlSource snippet
Eyewitness Testimony in Psychologyby S McLeod · Cited by 1 — Eyewitness testimony is a legal term that refers to an account given by peop...
-
Source: dictionary.cambridge.org
Link: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/groupSource snippet
| English meaning - Cambridge Dictionarya number of people or things that are put together or considered as a unit: group of I'm meeting...
-
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Eyewitness testimony
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eyewitness_testimonySource snippet
Eyewitness testimonyEyewitness testimony is the account a bystander or victim gives in the courtroom, describing what that person obse...
-
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Misinformation effect
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misinformation_effectSource snippet
Misinformation effectThe misinformation effect occurs when a person's recall of episodic memories becomes less accurate because of pos...
-
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Memory conformity
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_conformitySource snippet
Memory conformity"How eyewitnesses resist misinformation: Social postwarnings and the monitoring of memory characteristics". Memory &...
-
Source: support.gorilla.sc
Title: sc The Misinformation Effect
Link: https://support.gorilla.sc/support/educational-resources/classic-psychology-tasks/misinformation-effectSource snippet
Misinformation Effect - Gorilla Support DocumentationMisinformation refers to the fact that language in post-event questions can influenc...
Additional References
-
Source: nature.com
Link: https://www.nature.com/nature-index/topics/l4/misinformation-effects-on-eyewitness-memory -
Source: pjp.psychreg.org
Link: https://www.pjp.psychreg.org/wp-content/uploads/4-2-1-7.mojtahedi.pdfSource snippet
Psychreg Journal of PsychologyMemory conformity during co-witness discussionsIf co-witnesses hold differing recollections of the event, a...
-
Source: themadscientistpodcast.com
Link: https://www.themadscientistpodcast.com/the-betty-and-barney-hill-caseSource snippet
The Betty and Barney Hill CaseTo many people, the simple bulk of reports of alien abductions or UFO encounters validates the experience a...
-
Source: medium.com
Link: https://medium.com/resonant-archive/close-encounters-and-information-theory-why-ufo-reports-read-like-corrupted-data-2fe7709828edSource snippet
Why UFO Reports Read Like Corrupted DataSome UFO reports include attempted communication. Beings emerge from craft. Witnesses describe in...
-
Source: psychstory.co.uk
Link: https://www.psychstory.co.uk/memory/eye-witness-testimony -
Source: wrap.warwick.ac.uk
Title: WRAP eyewitness memory distortion following discussion countries Wade 2018
Link: https://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/108300/7/WRAP-eyewitness-memory-distortion-following-discussion-countries-Wade-2018.pdfSource snippet
et al co-witness memory multilab study JARMAC_Accepted...by H Ito · 2019 · Cited by 45 — Research shows that misinformation gleaned from...
-
Source: psychologicalscience.org
Title: when eyewitnesses talk justice is distorted
Link: https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/when-eyewitnesses-talk-justice-is-distorted.htmlSource snippet
When Eyewitnesses Talk, Justice Is DistortedJul 1, 2009 — A research report explains how eyewitnesses' memories can become distorted afte...
-
Source: pure.port.ac.uk
Title: port.ac.uk1 The effects of co-witness discussion on confidence
Link: https://pure.port.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/8833070/Rechdan_et_al._18.1.18_2.pdfSource snippet
Staffby J Rechdan · Cited by 17 — We were interested in examining the effects of disagreement or agreement with a co- witness—not exposur...
-
Source: thejusticegap.com
Title: misinformation effect multiple eye witnesses can make mistake
Link: https://www.thejusticegap.com/misinformation-effect-multiple-eye-witnesses-can-make-mistake/Source snippet
how multiple eye witnesses can make the same mistake19 Dec 2016 — Instead they would be convinced that they witness the misinformation fi...
-
Source: frontiersin.org
Title: Online misinformation can distort witnesses’ memories
Link: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1239139/fullSource snippet
by M Kękuś · 2024 · Cited by 2 — The memory conformity effect occurs when people witness a given incident, then talk to each other about...
Topic Tree