A friend of yours just witnessed a complicated accident while driving. There were several cars involved and one of the drivers became aggressive shortly after the incident. Your friend even reported seeing a gun in his hand as he walked toward the other involved cars, however none of the other witnesses saw it!! Your friend was certain that the facts he reported about the accident were accurate, but quickly realized that every witness reported slightly different accounts. For example, he was sure that the accident was caused by a reckless driver speeding through an intersection, while another witness swore that it was a pedestrian in the road that caused everyone to swerve to miss hitting him.

1. How is it possible for eye witness accounts to differ so greatly? If everyone witnessed the same event, shouldn't their accounts be the same? Be sure to use your knowledge about sensation, perception, and memory to answer.
2. What would you tell your friend about the accuracy of his account? How could he miss a person walking through an accident or think that he saw a gun in the hands of a driver when no one else did?
3. Are there ways to improve recall in an event like this?