Accuracy Of Eyewitness Testimony- Misleading Questions Flashcards
What is eyewitness testimony?
Eyewitnesses who knowingly or unknowingly witness a crime which could help identify the criminal.
Testimony is given in court
LEAST TRUSTWORTHY TYPE OF EVIDENCE as memories are fragile and can become easily distorted
What is Misleading Information?
Incorrect information given to the eyewitness post-event which could distort their memory of the crime.
This is in 2 forms: misleading questions OR Post-Event Discussion
Loftus & Palmer Research (Aim, Method, Findings & Conclusions) Leading Questions
AIM: whether post-event information can result into eyewitness testimony being inaccurate.
METHOD: A lab experiment based on leading questions of a car accident. 45 pps shown a film of a car accident and put into 1 of 5 conditions. They were all asked ‘How fast were the cars going when they … into each other?’
FINDINGS: (Smashed 41mph, collided 39mph,bumped 38mph, hit 34mph or contacted 32mph).
CONCLUSION: witnesses’ memory can be distorted when exposed to misleading questions of an event which has occurred.
Loftus & Palmer (Aim, Method, Findings & Conclusions) Leading Questions
AIM: whether post-event information can result into eyewitness testimony being inaccurate.
METHOD: 150 students divided into 3 groups and watched a video of a car accident and given a questionnaire to complete. One group asked ‘How fast cars were going when they smashed into eachother?’, 2nd group asked ‘How fast cars were going when they hit each other?’, 3rd group not asked any questions. After they were all asked ‘Did you see any broken glass?’ Which there was not any.
FINDINGS: 1st group- 32% reported seeing broken glass, 2nd group- 14% reported seeing broken glass, 3rd group- 12% reported seeing broken glass
CONCLUSION: Pps who were asked leading questions were more likely to report seeing broken glass. Therefore memory is distorted
What is Post-Event Discussion?
When witnesses discuss what they have seen with other co-witnesses at an event which leads to lower accuracy recall as information is combined from other memories.
Gabbert et Al (Aim,Method,Findings & Conclusions) Post-Event Discussion
AIM: effects of post-event discussion on accuracy of eyewitness testimony
METHOD: pairs of pps viewed a crime video at different angles which gave 2 different perspectives but were unaware. Pps pairing in one group (experimental condition) were allowed to discuss what they witnessed before completing a recall test. Other pps pairing (control condition) weren’t allowed to discuss and had to do the recall test.
FINDINGS: 71% pps pairings in experimental condition recalled info they hadn’t seen Wheres 0% pps pairings recalled info they hadn’t seen.
CONCLUSION: witnesses tend to combine their memories to gain social approval to be right. Known as social conformity.
