Accuracy of eyewitness testimony: Anxiety

Question 1

What is anxiety?

Answer 1

An unpleasant emotional state that is often accompanied by increased heart rate and rapid breathing.

Question 2

What is the key study of effects of anxiety presented by Johnson and Scott?

Answer 2

Johnson and Scott demonstrated the weapon focus effect by asking participants to sit in a waiting room, where they heard an argument in an adjoining room and then saw a man run through the room carrying either a pen covered in grease (low anxiety) or a knife covered in blood (high anxiety weapon focus) Participants were later asked to identify the man from a set of photographs. The mean accuracy was 49% in the pen condition and 33% in the knife condition supporting weapon focus effect.

Question 3

How does anxiety have a positive effect on accuracy?

Answer 3

Christianson and Hubinette found evidence of enhanced recall when they questioned 58 real witnesses to a bank robbery in Sweden. The witnesses were either victims or bystanders. The researchers found that all witnesses showed generally good memories for detail of the robbery itself (75%) Those witnesses who were most anxious had the best recall (victims)

Question 4

How can you resolve the contradiction?

Answer 4

Deffenbacher reviewed 21 studies of the effect of anxiety on eyewitness memory. He found 10 if them linked to higher arousal levels led to increased accuracy whereas 11 was the opposite. He suggested the Yerkes Dodson effect can account for this inconsistency. When anxiety is too extreme or too low accuracy will be reduced.

Question 5

What is a strength of anxiety in the accuracy of eyewitness testimony?

Answer 5

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Question 6

What is a limitation of anxiety in the accuracy of eyewitness testimony?

Answer 6

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Question 7

What is a limitation of anxiety in the accuracy of eyewitness testimony?

Answer 7

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