Discuss research into the influence of misleading information on the accuracy of eyewitness testimony 16 mark Flashcards
AO1 (3 marks) - Description of Research on Misleading Informat
Misleading information can distort eyewitness testimony (EWT), affecting the accuracy of memory recall.
Leading questions can influence responses – Loftus & Palmer (1974) found that using words like “smashed” instead of “hit” led participants to estimate higher speeds.
AO1 (3 marks) - Description of Research on Misleading Informat
Post-event discussion (PED) occurs when co-witnesses discuss an event, leading to memory contamination.
Gabbert et al. (2003) found that 71% of participants recalled false information after discussing the event, compared to 0% in a control group.
AO3 (3 marks) - Evaluation of Misleading Information Research – Positives
✅ Real-World Applications – Findings have led to improvements in police questioning techniques (e.g., the Cognitive Interview).
✅ Lab-Based Reliability – Loftus & Palmer’s experiments were controlled, meaning extraneous variables were minimized, ensuring high internal validity.
✅ Real-World Applications (Police Interviews) – Ecological Validity: High as findings have been applied to improve police questioning, making results useful in real-life settings.
✅ Lab-Based Reliability (Loftus & Palmer, 1974) – Reliability: Studies were conducted in controlled environments, making them highly replicable and reliable.
AO3 (3 marks) - Evaluation of Misleading Information Research–Negatives
❌ Lacks Ecological Validity – Watching a video of a crime is not the same as witnessing a real-life traumatic event, which may affect memory differently.
❌ Individual Differences – Older adults may be more susceptible to misleading information, making it difficult to generalize findings across all age groups.
❌ Lacks Ecological Validity (Artificial Setting) – Ecological Validity: Watching a video of a crime does not replicate the stress of witnessing a real-life event, reducing external validity.
❌ Individual Differences (Age) – Generalizability: Older adults may be more susceptible to misleading questions, making it difficult to generalize findings to all age groups.
AO3 (3 marks) - Evaluation of Misleading Information Research–Positives
✅ Supporting Evidence – Gabbert et al. (2003) found that post-event discussion caused memory distortion, confirming the influence of misleading information.
✅ Supporting Evidence (Gabbert et al., 2003) – Reliability: Findings on post-event discussion were replicated across multiple studies, increasing reliability.
