Eye Witness Testimony

Question 1

Eye witness testimony

Answer 1

Evident give in a courtroom or police investigation by someone who has witnessed a crime or accident

Question 2

Weapon focus

Answer 2

Witness focuses attention on weapon used in a crime
Cause state of anxiety
Difficult recall other details accurately

Question 3

Johnson and Scott
Weapon focus study

Answer 3

Aim - effect of weapon on EWT

Procedure - pps in waiting room 2 group
1. Heard heated argument a crash of equipment and man holding a paper knife
2. Disagreement about lab experiment man holding pen

Findings - group 1 less accurate than group 2
Proposed anxiety reduce effectiveness of EWT

Question 4

Weakness of Johnson and Scott

Answer 4

Pps deceived led think waiting for experiment to start
But reduce demand characteristics obtain valid results
However pps may not too. Part of knew exposed knife cause anxiety/distress 

Question 5

Weakness of Johnson and Scott

Answer 5

lab experiment set in waiting room cause demand characteristics

Matters because affect validity of findings

Question 6

Post event discussion

Answer 6

Co witness to crime discuss with each other after witnessed the crime

Question 7

Lotus’s and palmer study

Answer 7

Aim - effect of leading questions on accuracy of EWT

procedure - 45 America student watched vid car crashing asked speed of car manipulated verb used in question

Conclude - EWT might be biased the way questions are asked after a crime is committed

Question 8

Strength of lotus and palmer

Answer 8

Application to criminal justice system

Highlights danger of misleading info in court effect accuracy of EWT

matters help Court operate fairly not wrongly convicted on basis of EWT

Question 9

Weakness of lotus and palmer

Answer 9

Lack population validity
45 American student culturally biased

Matters because unsure if others would be effect same by misleading info

Question 10

gabbert et al

Answer 10

Procedure - pps in pair watch same vid of crime to different views both discuss what seen complete recall test

Findings - 71% recall events didn’t see but told in discussion

Conclusion - witness go along with each other win social approval memory conformity

Question 11

Strength of gabbert et al

Answer 11

Population validity is strong 2 different populations tested adult and student found little difference