Perceptual Distortion Survey
Dr. Alexis Artwohl, in her book Deadly Force Encounters, conducted research on perceptual distortions experienced by officers involved in shootings. This is what she found:
88% experienced DIMINISHED SOUND. No sounds at all or the sounds had an unusual distant, muffled quality.
82% experienced TUNNEL VISION. Vision became intensely focused on the perceived threat and peripheral vision was lost.
78% experienced AUTOMATIC PILOT. Little or no conscious thought was given to actions.
65% experienced HEIGHTENED VISUAL CLARITY. Some details or actions had unusually vivid clarity and detail.
63% experienced SLOW MOTION TIME. Events seemed to be taking place in slow motion and seemed to take longer to happen than they really did.
61% experienced MEMORY LOSS FOR PARTS OF THE EVENT. Parts of the event could not be later remembered.
60% MEMORY LOSS FOR SOME OF THE OFFICER’S ACTIONS. Some of the actions of the officer could not be remembered.
50% experienced DISSOCIATION. Moments of a strange sense of detachment like a dream, or like looking at one’ s self from the outside.
36% experienced INTRUSIVE DISTRACTING THOUGHTS. Some thoughts not directly relevant to the immediate tactical situation, such as thinking about loved ones, future plans, etc.
19% experienced MEMORY DISTORTION. A memory of seeing, hearing, or experiencing something during the event that had not happened.
17% experienced INTENSIFIED SOUNDS. Some sounds seemed much louder than normal.
17% experienced FAST MOTION TIME. Events seemed to be happening much faster than normal.
11% experienced TEMPORARY PARALYSIS. A brief time of feeling paralyzed.