Identifying the Misinformation Effect

Memory construction and forgetting are key components of cognitive psychology. One process that affects how we remember and forget information is known as the misinformation effect. This phenomenon occurs when an individual's recall of episodic memories becomes less accurate due to the information they encounter after an event. Understanding this effect is crucial for applications in eyewitness testimony and memory reliability.

In light of this, consider the following scenario: After witnessing a robbery, a witness received misleading information about the suspect's appearance from a news report. Later, during the police lineup, the witness struggled to accurately identify the suspect. Which cognitive principle is primarily illustrated by this scenario?