Cognitive Debate Flashcards
Outline the supporting argument for eye witness testimony being unreliable due to emotion.
One reason why EWT is unreliable is that research has found that emotion can lead to inaccurate memories.
Give an example for the supporting argument for EWT being unreliable due to emotion.
Clifford and Scott - investigated violent crimes and found that people who saw a film of a violent attack remembered fewer of the 40 items of info about the event than a control group who saw a less stressful version. Real crime is much more stressful than taking part in an experiment so the accuracy of memory may be even more affected in real life.
Give a social implication for the supporting argument for EWT being unreliable due to emotion.
This study can help free innocent/stop innocent people becoming convicted. If an EWT is unreliable than the investigators will look more into other evidence like CCTV etc. This can save money for retrials; this money can be put into improving other methods of gathering evidence.
Link the supporting argument for EWT being unreliable due to emotion to the question.
This shows that EWT is unreliable as memory was found to be inaccurate even in a fake situation/on film so if a real situation, in court EWT would have been even more inaccurate.
Outline the opposing argument for the EWT being reliable due to emotion.
EWT can be reliable due to flashbulb memories. They are memories that are extremely vivid and long-lasting and are associated with a traumatic event.
Give an example for the opposing argument for EWT being reliable due to emotion.
Sharon et al conducted a study 3 years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Ps were placed in an fMRI scanner and asked to recall memories from the attacks. 83% showed selective activation of the amygdala which processes emotions.
Give an economic implication of the opposing argument for EWT being reliable due to emotion.
FMRI scans are expensive to use so there may not be a lot of evidence to say that there aren’t any unknown, harmful side effects.
Link the opposing argument for EWT being reliable due to emotion to the question.
This shows that EWT is reliable as flashbulb memories are related to the neurology of the brain and that close personal experiences are critical in engaging the neural mechanisms involved with flashbulb memories.
Outline the supporting argument for EWT being unreliable due to post-event info.
The use of misleading info means EWT is unreliable.
Give an example for the supporting argument for EWT being unreliable due to post-event info.
Gabbert et al conducted a study on the effect of post-event discussion on the accuracy of EWT. Students watched a video of a girl stealing money from a wallet, individually (control group) or in parts (co-witness group) who saw a different perspective. Ps in the co-witness group discussed the crime together. They found that 71% of the witnesses in the co-witness group recalled info they hadn’t seen and 60% said the girl was guilty even though they didn’t see her commit the crime.
Give a weakness of the supporting argument for EWT being unreliable due to post-event info.
Weakness of the study is that it’s conducted in a lab. This means that because it’s done in an artificial setting, ps may not take it seriously compared to it happening in court as it’s not a serious crime.
Link the supporting argument for EWT being unreliable due to post-event info to the question.
This shows that EWT is unreliable as it highlights the fact that post-event discussion decreases memory accuracy.
Outline the opposing argument for EWT being reliable due to post-event info.
Misinformation doesn’t necessarily affect the accuracy of memory.
Give an example for the opposing argument for EWT being reliable due to post-event info.
Loftus conducted a study where they gave ps slides showing a red purse being stolen from a bag and then give an account on the theft which included errors like ‘the purse is brown’. They found that all but 2 ps resisted the misinformation and that they were influenced by misinformation on less important elements of the theft.
Give a weakness of the evidence for the opposing argument for EWT being reliable due to post-event info.
They only left a short amount of time in between looking at the slides and being told the misinformation. It therefore doesn’t reflect a real crime.
Link the opposing argument for EWT being reliable due to post-event info to the question.
This shows that EWT is reliable as memory for info which stands out at the time is less likely to be affected by the effects of misinformation than memory for minor elements.
Outline the supporting evidence for EWT being unreliable due to weapon focus.
Weapon focus is the decreased ability to identify a perpetrator due to a focus on that weapon.
Give an example for the supporting argument for EWT being unreliable due to post-event info.
Loftus et al conducted a lab experiment to test the impact of weapon focus on accuracy of recall. They had ps watch a video of either a customer who handed the cashier the bill or pulled out a gun to the cashier. They were then asked to pick the customer out of 12 photos. They found that people in the ‘gun’ condition fixated on the weapon and so struggled to identify the perpetrator however, those in the ‘bill’ condition were more accurate at identifying the customer.
Give a weakness of the study for the supporting argument for EWT being unreliable due to post-event info.
Because the study was conducted in a lab and therefore an artificial setting. This means it cannot be applied to real life situations and therefore decreases its ecological validity.
Link the supporting argument for EWT being unreliable due to post-event info to the question.
This shows EWT is unreliable as many people become distracted by the weapon and can falsely accuse someone.
Outline the opposing argument for EWT being reliable due to post-event info.
There’s evidence to suggest that the presence of a weapon doesn’t affect the accuracy of recall of a crime.
Give an example for the opposing argument for EWT being reliable due to post-event info.
Yuille and Cutshall conducted a study of a shooting that happened at a Canadian gun shop. It was a case study of a small group over time. It was a real life case where a man attempted to rob a gun shop, he was shot and killed. A few witnesses were interviewed. They found that time and leading questions didn’t alter the witnesses memory. They recalled it in great detail.
Give an ethical implication of the opposing argument for EWT being reliable due to post-event info.
It’s unethical as ps had to keep reliving the event - one was only 15 years old.
Link the opposing argument for EWT being reliable due to post-event info to the question.
This shows that EWT is reliable as the witnesses account of what happened didn’t change even after being asked leading qs 4 months after the event. Weapon focus did not affect memory.
