2.7 Accuracy of eyewitness testimony: Misleading information Flashcards
What is the Eyewitness Testimony
The evidence provided in court by a person who witnessed a crime, with a view to identifying the perpetrator of the crime.
What is a leading question
A question that, either by its form or content, suggests to the witness what answer is desired or leads him or her to the desired answer.
What is Misleading information
Supplying information that may lead to a witness’ memory for a crime to be altered
What is post-event discussion
A conversation between witness’ or an interviewer and an eyewitness after a crime which may contaminate a witness memory for the event
Summarise misleading information as a factor of the eyewitness testimony
- Leading questions suggest the desired answer
- harshness of words used influences memory - Loftus and Palmer - hit/bumped
- Verb altered the actual memory of event - reports of broken glass - Loftus and Palmer
- Post event discussion may contaminate memory of event
- conformity effect - participants recollection of event influenced by discussion with others
- Repeat interviewing - problematic with young witnesses
Evaluate misleading information as a factor of the eyewitness testimony
- Braun et al - misleading information (bugs bunny) altered participant recall
- lab study EWT might not be taken seriously
- Real world application - mistaken EWT largest factor in conviction of innocent people
- individual differences
- response bias - recalling events in original order led to recovery of recall so memory not altered
What was Loftus and Palmers study?
People watched a video of traffic accident
Asked a critical question about the video with the verbs: hit, contacted, bumped, collided, smashed
And they had to guess the speed of the car in the video
They asked whether or not they saw broken glass in the video as well
What were the findings of Loftus and Palmers study?
Found that the harsher the word used in the critical question the faster they thought the car was going.
Fastest being smashed and the slowest being contacted
When asked if they saw broken glass the ones with harsher words used were more likely to report seeing it
Why is repeat interviewing bad?
Comments from the interviewer can be incorporated into their memory. Especially with children.
