Chapter 2.8 - Factors affecting EWT: Anxiety

Question 1

What is meant by anxiety?

Answer 1

A state of emotional and physical arousal
- Emotions: worried thoughts and feelings of tension
- Physical: increased heart rate and sweatiness

Question 2

Describe how anxiety has a negative effect on recall (weapon focus)

Answer 2

Anxiety creates a physiological arousal in the body which prevents us paying attention to important cues, so recall is worse

Question 3

Describe the procedure on the research on how anxiety has a negative effect on recall (weapon focus)

Answer 3

Johnson and Scott (1976):
- Participants believed they were taking part in a lab study
- Low anxiety condition: overheard a casual conversation in the next room, man walked past carrying a pen and with grease on his hands
- High anxiety condition: overheard a heated argument in the next room, accompanied by the sound of breaking glass, man walked out of the room holding a knife covered in blood

Question 4

Describe the findings on the research on how anxiety has a negative effect on recall (weapon focus)

Answer 4

• Man was picked out from a set of 50 photos, 49% identified pen man, 33% identified knife man

Question 5

Describe the conclusions on the research on how anxiety has a negative effect on recall (weapon focus)

Answer 5

Tunnel theory of memory: argues that people have enhanced memory for central events
- Weapon focus as a result of anxiety can have this effect

Question 6

Describe how anxiety has a positive effect on recall

Answer 6

Witnessing a stressful event creates anxiety through physiological arousal within the body
- Triggers the fight or flight response, increasing alertness
- May improve memory for the event as we become more aware of cues in the situation