Anxiety …

Question 1

Limit 1

Answer 1

Of Johnson and Scott’s study is that it may test surprise and not anxiety

This is because the participants may focus on the weapon because they are surprised at what they see, rather than because they are scared

Pickel (1998) carried out an experiment using scissors, a gun, raw chicken and a wallet in a hairdressing salon and found that accuracy of EWT was poorer in the high unusualness conditions (chicken and gun)

This suggests that the weapons focus effect is due to unusualness rather than anxiety and as such, doesn’t tell us specifically about the effects of anxiety on EWT

Question 2

Limit 2

Answer 2

Explanation given by Yerkes-dodson curve is too simplistic

This is because anxiety is difficult to define and it is made up of many elements e.g. physical, behavioural, emotional

The yerkes-Dodson curve assumes that only 1 of the elements is linked to poor performance - physical in terms of physiological arousal.

This means that the explanation fails to take into account other factors, e.g. emotional effects of witnessing a crime on the accuracy of memory

Question 3

Limit 3

Answer 3

Research into effects of anxiety on EWT can cause psychological harm

Which is when the procedure causes mental distress, which participants have the right not to experience

As psychologists interview people who have already witnessed a real-life event and so there is no need to recreate it

Ethical issues don’t challenge the findings of a study such as Johnson and Scott’s but they do raise questions as to the need for such research to take place

Question 4

Limit 4

Answer 4

Demand characteristics can affect laboratory studies

This is when participants perceive the demands of a study, decreasing internal validity of the research as participants are more likely to show unnatural behaviour

Most laboratory studies show participants a filmed and staged crime and most participants will be aware that they are watching a filmed crime for the purpose of a research study. It is likely that many participants will work out that they are going to be asked questions about what they have seen and might give responses that seem helpful

This affects the internal validity of the research as it means that the accuracy of EWT is not being measured.