1.4.5 Cognitive Debate - Reliability Of EWT

Question 1

Why do juries give a lot of weight to EWT?

Answer 1

It can be very powerful due to the conviction the witnesses have

Question 2

What did the innocence project state about EWT and convictions?

Answer 2

EWT is the number one cause of wrongful convictions

Question 3

Why are wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice issues?

Answer 3

Innocent people can go to prison for many years or even be executed Criminals are then left roaming the streets

Question 4

The decline committee found out what percentage of convictions were based entirely on EWT?

Answer 4

74% out of 347 cases

Question 5

Radin found false conviction rate in the US based on EWT was what percentage?

Answer 5

5%

Question 6

So 5% of prisoners innocent is equal to:

Answer 6

1 in 20 prisoners

Question 7

What things can affect how we remember events?

Answer 7

Pre existing bias stereotypes Leading questions

Question 8

Our memories are reconstructed and combined with various sources, what does this mean?

Answer 8

What we think we remember may not be entirely accurate

Question 9

What did Nolan and markham (1998) find about juries and EWT?

Answer 9

They may be swayed by EWT particularly if the eyewitness seems confident

Question 10

Why are people very bad at remembering details in crime situations?

Answer 10

They avert their gaze Attention focuses elsewhere - weapon focus Running away

Question 11

RM - what are schemas?

Answer 11

Packets of information about the world around us that we store in our long term memory they are not necessarily reliable

Question 12

(Schemas) Bartlett argued that memory was reconstructed what did he mean? RM

Answer 12

Not a complete reproduction of a witnessed event rather a combining of information

Question 13

(Schemas)If memory is reconstructed as Bartlett says, is it accurate? RM

Answer 13

No

Question 14

(Schemas) What did Bartlett argue played a major role in remembering events? RM

Answer 14

Interpretation

Question 15

(Schemas) Bartlett said remembering can be seen as an “effort after meaning” what did he mean? RM

Answer 15

We try to make the past more logical, coherent and sensible

Question 16

(Schemas) What did Bartlett say schematta helps us to do? RM

Answer 16

Make sense of the world, making it more predictable

Question 17

(Schemas) In reconstructing memory what do schemas often do? RM

Answer 17

Fill the gaps in our memory, producing significant distortions

Question 18

(Schemas) What may pre existing schemas do in relation to EWT? RM

Answer 18

Alter the way a person remembers a crime They forget things that don’t fit with their schemas

Question 19

(Schemas) What did Allport and Postman’s study involve? RM

Answer 19

Showing white participants an image of a smart black business man being threatened by a white man

Question 20

(Schemas) What did Allport and postman find in their study? RM

Answer 20

Participants later recalled the image as the white man being threatened by the black man

Question 21

How could you explain Allport and Postmans findings in relation to schemas? RM

Answer 21

At the time it was a racist society, people would have schemas such as black men being linked to crime, and black men not being successful businessmen

Question 22

(Schemas) Tuckey and brewer investigated stereotyped recall of a bank robbery, what did they find? RM

Answer 22

When participants were questioned on there recall of a bank robbery video they remembered more details that for with the stereotype of a bank robber

Question 23

(Schemas) What do tuckey and Brewers findings support in relation to schemas? RM

Answer 23

The theory that we are better at remembering things that fit with our schemas

Question 24

(Schemas) What did tuckey and brewer also find in relation to countersterotype information? RM

Answer 24

Participants were also good at remembering things that did not fit with their existing schemas e.g the robbers didn’t have guns

Question 25

(Leading questions) What did loftus and palmers research into leading questions show? RM

Answer 25

Leading questions have the ability to alter a persons memory of an event

Question 26

(Leading questions) What did loftus and palmers leading question research show?RM

Answer 26

Leading questions have the ability to alter a persons memory of an event

Question 27

(Leading questions) What is a criticism of loftus and Palmer using speed estimates in their research? RM

Answer 27

Judging speed is complex therefore participants may be more prone to being led

Question 28

(Leading questions) What were participants asked in loftus and Zanni's a/the research? RM

Answer 28

If they had seen a/ the broken headlight

Question 29

(Leading questions) What were the results of loftus and Zanni's a/the research? RM

Answer 29

7% of a reported seeing one compared to 17% of the

Question 30

(Leading questions) What did loftus and Zanni's research demonstrate about leading questions? RM

Answer 30

They can cause a participant to remember something that wasn't actually there

Question 31

(Leading questions) What did loftus' red purse study involve? RM

Answer 31

Showing participants a series of images of a man stealing a ref purse from a woman's bag

Question 32

(Leading questions) What question did loftus then ask in his red purse study? RM

Answer 32

If they had seen a brown purse being stolen

Question 33

(Leading questions) What percentage of participants correctly recalled the purse was red? RM

Answer 33

98%

Question 34

(Leading questions) What does loftus' red purse study imply about leading questions?

Answer 34

Leading questions do not affect memory

Question 35

(Leading questions) A lot of research into reconstructive memory used lab experiments, what is good about this? And what is bad?

Answer 35

Control, repeated, consistent, cause and effect Lack of ecological validity

Question 36

(Leading questions) research has led to the development of what?

Answer 36

Cognitive interview - increase accuracy of EWT Witnesses recreate the incident, recall it in different orders and from different perspectives

Question 37

(Leading questions) Yuille and cutshall found those closer to the crime where what?

Answer 37

More accurate in EWT - less likely to be swayed by leading questions

Question 38

(Emotion) crimes where the witness is under a lot of stress lead to what?

Answer 38

Poorer recall

Question 39

(Emotion) deffenbacher conducted a meta analysis on eyewitness recall finding high stress had a negative impact on what?

Answer 39

Accuracy

Question 40

(Emotion) Christianson - witnesses to real bank robberies had what?

Answer 40

Better recall than onlookers not involved

Question 41

(Emotion) flashbulb memories - what do they describe?

Answer 41

Vivid, long lasting memories occurring at times of heightened emotion As if mind has taken picture

Question 42

(Emotion) give examples of common flashbulb memories:

Answer 42

9/11 Princess Diana's death

Question 43

(Emotion) flashbulb memories are highly detailed and supposedly immune to what?

Answer 43

Decay

Question 44

(Emotion) talarico and Rubin - had 54 students to recall their memory of what?

Answer 44

The 9/11 attacks the day after the event

Question 45

(Emotion) talarico and Rubin also asked about what? And when we're that tested?

Answer 45

Birthday party 1,6 and 32 weeks later

Question 46

(Emotion) talarico and Rubin - consistency if flashbulb and everyday memories did not do what?

Answer 46

Differ both memories declined overtime

Question 47

(Emotion) talarico and Rubin - participants thought their recall of 9/11 was much more what?

Answer 47

Vivid they thought themselves it was more accurate

Question 48

(Emotion) eyewitnesses may be asked to give evidence when and what is an issue of this?

Answer 48

Months after an event Think emotional memories are more accurate they are and their confidence may be a deciding factor for juries

Question 49

(Emotion) odiniot - 14 witnesses of an armed robbery and checked recall against CCTV, what was found?

Answer 49

84% of recalled info correct Witnesses reporting high levels of emotional impact had more accurate recall

Question 50

(Emotion) real events are high in what?

Answer 50

Ecological validity - show persons actual emotions in the situation

Question 51

(Emotion) real life situations raise what issues?

Answer 51

Lack of control Ethics of recalling a highly emotive potentially traumatic experience

Question 52

(Emotion) what is the yerkes Dodson curve?

Answer 52

Relationship between emotional arousal and level of performance Too much emotion can affect memory Too little not paying attention

Question 53

(Emotion) Macleod - real life EWT of 379 assaults vs crimes with no physical injury there was no what and what did this suggest?

Answer 53

No difference inaccuracy of recall Suggests levels of emotions do not make a difference into recall

Question 54

(Age) the younger the child the less what? And why is this an issue?

Answer 54

Less info they provide to researcher Interviewers need to encourage children to be detailed and specific Which can lead to inaccurate statement

Question 55

(Age) young children are more likely to change their answer when the question is repeated why?

Answer 55

Assume they got the answer wrong the first time

Question 56

(Age) social factors such as the child seeing the interviewer as an authority figure makes them more susceptible to what?

Answer 56

Leading questions

Question 57

(Age) suggestibility - Goodman children are more likely to give the what?

Answer 57

Answer implied by the question than an adult would

Question 58

(Age) suggestibility - Ceci in children aged 3 to 12 what age were most susceptible to having memories altered and why?

Answer 58

4 Their memories are weaker and fade faster than older children

Question 59

(Age) suggestibility - gross and Hayne - children as young as 5 could identify who?

Answer 59

Unknown person they interacted with briefly for two days

Question 60

(Age) suggestibility - gross and Hayne - when the target person was absent from the Line up children did what?

Answer 60

Performed poorly and selected wrong person In their eagerness to please the interviewer they thought they should identify a picture

Question 61

(Age) suggestibility - if encouraged to think really hard a child may do what?

Answer 61

Remember events that never happened

Question 62

(Age) suggestibility - peer pressure can influence what?

Answer 62

What children report

Question 63

(Age) language - the more complex a Question the more likely a child would give what?

Answer 63

Inaccurate answer

Question 64

(Age) language - Davies - children are fairly accurate in their memories they don not usually do what?

Answer 64

Make things up Don't deliberately lie Memory is not altered by adult suggestion after event

Question 65

(Age) language - all age groups are most accurate when what?

Answer 65

Recognising offender form own age group

Question 66

(Age) elderly - cohen - young adults and the elderly were shown a silent film of what?

Answer 66

Kidnapping

Question 67

(Age) elderly - participants were then given a summary of the crime to read one accurate one inaccurate all participants were asked to do what and what was found?

Answer 67

Recall Elderly were much more likely to include some incorrect material in their account of crime

Question 68

(Age) elderly - coxon - video of crime elderly participants were less accurate in their overall recall, poorer recall was attributed to what?

Answer 68

Advancing age

Question 69

What is an ethical implication of relaibility EWT in term of psychological harm

Answer 69

Potential psychological harm - traumatic memories or miscarriages of justice

Question 70

Give an example of a misscarriage of justice

Answer 70

Post event information provided to Jenifer Thompson about her rapist meant that Ronald Cotton was incorrectly identified on a number of occassions and sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years

Question 71

What have frightening stories about incorrect EWT led to

Answer 71

Increasing controversy about the death penalty in the USA

Question 72

What did a columbia university find

Answer 72

68% of death sentences imposed between 1973 and 1995 were overturned

Question 73

What is a further unethical result of unreliable EWT

Answer 73

* Safeguards in place to 'protect' child witnesses and perpetrators from potential harm from the community

Question 74

What are the economic implications of research in this area?

Answer 74

Fewer miscarriages of justice - less cost Cheaper and quicker court trials

Question 75

How is the cost of compensation effected by unreliable EWT

Answer 75

Compensation for those wrongfully imprisoned creates economic implications for unreliable EWT

Question 76

Give an example of compensation having to be provided

Answer 76

Ronald Cotton was allegedly paid $105,000 in compensation for the 11 years he spent in prison

Question 77

How much does it cost per day for a trial in crown court

Answer 77

£80,000

Question 78

What are social implications of research?

Answer 78

Should ensure juries think carefully about weight givens to EWT - better conviction rates

Question 79

Issue with increasing use of CCTV as a result of unreliable EWT

Answer 79

Might infringe on peoples freedoms and creates a 'big brother' society

Question 80

Why is the evidence contradictory

Answer 80

For every piece of information about the reliability of child eye-witness there is another that claims they are unreliable

Question 81

What is reliability of EWT dependant on

Answer 81

The interviewers level of skill and the witnesses personality - is the cognitive interview always useful

Question 82

Evaluate reliability of EWT in terms of realism and validity

Answer 82

* much of the research lacks mundane realism and external validity * However it is done in a lab environment which is sterile