2.4: Eyewitness testimony (EWT)

Question 1

Explain why it might be better to carry out research into eyewitness testimony in the real world, rather than in a laboratory (3 marks)

Answer 1

It might be better to carry out research into eyewitness testimony in the real world, rather than in a laboratory, because in real life research, research has high validity, because the findings can be generalised to other similar situations

Question 2

Explain why it might be better to carry out research into eyewitness testimony in the real world, rather than in a laboratory (3 marks).
It might be better to carry out research into eyewitness testimony in the real world, rather than in a laboratory, because in real life research, research has high validity, because the findings can be generalised to other similar situations.

Answer 2

It is therefore more likely to be relevant, for example to eyewitness testimony in court cases.
There are often real consequences or an emotional impact in real life which don’t occur in laboratory experiments

Question 3

Explain why it might be better to carry out research into eyewitness testimony in the real world, rather than in a laboratory (3 marks).
It might be better to carry out research into eyewitness testimony in the real world, rather than in a laboratory, because in real life research, research has high validity, because the findings can be generalised to other similar situations.
It is therefore more likely to be relevant, for example to eyewitness testimony in court cases.
There are often real consequences or an emotional impact in real life which don’t occur in laboratory experiments.

Answer 3

In a laboratory, participants may show demand characteristics because they know they are in an experiment.
This is less likely in real world settings