Eye Witness and Memory Flashcards
Lecture six preperation
What are the three types of memory?
Sensory Memory
Short Term Memory
Long Term Memory
Define
Sensory Memory
This is the 1st stage of the memory and refers to the memories where information in our environment is received by our senses.
It has an unlimited capacity for a brief duration.
Define
Short Term Memory
This is the limited storage of actively conscious memory.
It allows us to store information for enough time to use it
It has a brief duration of about 12 - 30 seconds and a capacity that allows around 5 - 9 pieces of information.
Define
Long Term Memory
Memory for facts, images, thoughts, feelings, skills & experiences that may last a lifetime.
Information is encoded and stored in a limitless capacity and duration to be retrieved at a later date.
For eye witness testimony, which type of memory is the most useful?
Long term Memory
What input factors are important for eyewitness reliability?
Age Gender Race Intelligence Personality
What input factors are important for the ‘situation’?
Stress & arousal Event duration Weapons effect Frequency Illumination
What storage Factors are important for witness testimony?
Passage of time
Rehearsal
Meaning/Stimulation Heuristic
Post even information
Describe
Meaning/Stimulation Heuristic
Refers to spending less cognitive time and effort on situations where we cannot imagine ourselves in or ever being in.
What are the Output factors of eyewitness testimony
Type of questioning
Confidence
False memories
Describe
Forensic Psychologist
The scientific analysis of trace psychological evidence in order to assist with the detection, suppression and knowledge of criminal behaviour.
What are the basic tenets of Forensic Psychology?
Using models and theories related to abnormal psychology. (psychological disorders)
Using models and theories related to normal psychology (decision making)
The use of personal insight.
What is a profiling model?
When an offender has committed the crime three or more times.
The crimes can be separate but they must somehow be related.
What is the clinical model?
Created by the FBI in the U.S.
The goal is to create a psychological profile of the offender.
Created in the U.K.
The goal is to create a STATISTICALLY based profile of factors related to the location of the offender and his/her crimes.
How many stages are there in FBI profiling?
FOUR
what are the four stages in FBI Profiling?
Stage 1: Data Assimilation
Stage 2: Crime Scene Classification
Stage 3: Crime Scene reconstruction
Stage 4: Profile Generation
In FBI profiling, what does stage 1 consist of?
Data assimilation
Modus Operandi identification
Signature Identification
In FBI profiling, what does stage 2 consist of?
Examination of as many crime scenes the offender is linked with in order to ascertain whether the crime scene is representative of an ORGANISED or DIORGANISED offender
In FBI profiling, what does stage 3 consist of?
With the use of the information gathered in stages 1 & 2 to re construct the crime scene in a way that allows for deciding whether the offender is ORGANISED or DISORGANISED.
In FBI profiling, what does stage 4 consist of?
Create an offender profile that includes physical elements as well as identifiers related to their personality.
(e.g. introverted and solitary which would suggest them being single.
What are the characteristics of an ORGANISED offender?
High birth order Average and above intelligence Socially adept Maybe living with a partner Angry prior to committing the crime Calm and relaxed post crime Leaves the area of the crime
What are the characteristics of a DISORGANISED offender?
Low birth order Below average intelligence Socially awkward Low birth order Confused/distressed state of mind during offence Sexually incompetent
Describe
Yerkes Dodson Law
The Yerkes-Dodson Law suggests that there is a relationship between performance and arousal. Increased arousal can help improve performance, but only up to a certain point. At the point when arousal becomes excessive, performance diminishes.
Describe witness input factor
Age
Witness can be put on the stand from about the age of seven.
Very young or very old witnesses are considered less reliable than those in the in their late teens up to about middle age.
Describe witness input factor
Gender
Men are direct, they see and hear things directly
Women are indirect, they see and hear things indirectly.
Therefore, they generally focus on different aspects of a situation when it is taking place.
Describe witness input factor
Race
It is considered that different races focus on the different features that are distinguishable within their own race.
Describe witness input factor
Intelligence
It is considered that there are no differences caused in recognition and recall with the eye witnesses level of intelligence.
Describe witness input factor
Personality
It is considered that high self monitors will have a superior ability in recall and recognition.
Describe situation input factor
Stress/Arousal
It is considered that recognition and Recall Impact is based on Yerkes-Dodson Principle.
Too much or too little stress will hinder your ability to recognise and recall correctly.
Describe situation input factor
Event Duration
It is considered that an event that is longer in duration than thirty seconds is more easily recognised and recalled than those with a duration less than thirty seconds.
Describe situation input factor
Weapon Effect
It is considered that recall and recognition is affected if there is a weapon involved,
The witness is likely to focus far more on the weapon than on the offender.
Describe situation input factor
Frequencies
It is considered that the more often the witnesses has seen or been in contact with the offender, the more able the witness is at recall and recognition.
Describe situation factor
Illumination
It is considered that good illumination allows a witness to have superior recognition and recall than that of dark illumination.
Linked to Yerkes Dodson law
