Eyewitness Testimony

Question 1

Memory:encoding

Answer 1

how information is stored

• not all info gets stored
• encoding is based on limited attentional resources

Question 2

Factors that may affect encoding of a memory

Answer 2

• prior knowledge of the event
• the duration of the event
• repetition of the event
• stress (cortisol) levels at the time of the event affecting successful encoding of memory

Question 3

Memory: storage

Answer 3

• encoded items go into STM

- if they survive limited capacity and rehearsel repetition and intervening experiences etc = pass into LTM

Question 4

Memory:retrieval

3 things that both enhance and inhibit recall?

Answer 4

• motivation to recall
• desire to cooperate with questioner
• understanding what is important to recall

Question 5

Definition of recognition?

Answer 5

the ability to identify(recognise), after witnessing an event, or learning a list of items, any details or items that were present during the event or in the list.
Unlike recall, recognition doesn’t require the retrieval of the details of items from memory because they are provided; one needs only to say whether they recognise them as having occurred in the event or on the list.

Question 6

Definition of recall?

Answer 6

after witnessing an event, or learning a list of items, a participant is asked to describe the event or list all study items that he or she can remember

Question 7

semantic vs. episodic memory

Answer 7

• semantic memory is essentially general knowledge - facts, names, places, words
• episodic memory is where personal events are stored
• Tulving(1983) identified the differences experientally
• retrieval cues are important for accessing the memory trace of episodes as these were present during the encoding of the memory of the event
• retrieval cues are more effective the closer they are to the encoded info
• retrieval cues activating a stored memory is known as synergistic ecphory

Question 8

Development of knowledge affects development of memory

-scripts

Answer 8

• scripts are generalised event representations (Schank and Abelson)
• there is a ‘slot’ for each expectation in an event
• this leads to an automatic expectation for slots to be filled when recalling an event
• when asked to recall an event

Question 9

scripts

Answer 9

• scripts are generalised event representations (Schank and Abelson)
• there is a ‘slot’ for each expectation in an event
• this leads to an automatic expectation for slots to be filled when recalling an event
• when asked to recall an event with a weak memory trace we may use a script as a template to remember the event and fill in the gaps in our memory of part of the event
• this could include filling in slots that should be empty

Question 10

Congruity and mismatch

Answer 10

If your recall of event is highly congruent with your script-based knowledge, you are likely to retrieve it accurately
-if there is a mismatch between expectations and actual events, this may be resolved by expectation being used to guide your memory of the event, prevenitng accurate reall

Question 11

Age and scripted knowledge

Answer 11

scripts develop with age, young children have scripts for recurring events(Hess,1991)

• preschool age children are more vulnerable to the negative effects of script-based knowledge than elementary school age children (Hudson and Nelson,1986)
• preschool children are unable to differentiate between a special event and a scripted event (Farrar and Goodman, 1992)
• as children get older they are able to identify special events. Younger children may incorporate this script into their scripts

Question 12

as children get older they learn more…

Answer 12

• words/events/people/speech

- language development is related to encoding of memories (Jack et al)

Question 13

strategy development

strategics?

Answer 13

(mneumonics)

• rehearsel – repetition
• organisation –grouping into meaningful chunks of info
• ellaboration – visual or verbal connection between words. Linking with images as in the paired associate task (Beuhring and Kee,1987)

Question 14

Suggestibility

-childrens EWT can be false because:

Answer 14

1- lying - intentionally changing the truth due to an inability to remember events
2- conformity- unintentionally distorting the truth about an event they do remember
– suggestibility is the influence of social and cognitive factors on encoding, storage and retrieval of memories

Question 15

strength of memory +age+knowledge

Answer 15

strength of memory improves with repetition(may be linked to age)
- younger children don’t have a script for cheating = less susceptible to videos that don’t contain cheating and report cheating fewer times than older children (Lindberg) – susceptibility can be both increase and decrease with age

Question 16

personality

Answer 16

suggestibility could be counted as a trait we lose as we get older
-as children get older they become less suggestible (Ceci and Bruck) - due to losing personality trait of just doing it because you’re told to

Question 17

Ecologically valid? (in regards to EWT)

Answer 17

studies have found children may have a mechanism to protect themselves leading to a stronger memory for serious events

• children aren’t very suggestible when talking about inappropriate touching or sexual abuse (Ceci)
• -however, other studies suggest children can be and this can lead to wrongful convictions (Bruck et al)

Question 18

Source monitoring

Answer 18

the ability to identify the sources of beliefs accurately

• if a child remembers an event as it happened to them, as opposed to how an interviewer poses questions, they will be less suggestible
• studies investigating this look at:
• • retrieval cues- eg. leading questions
• -highlighting sources of knowledge
• • post-event misinformation
• children perform as well as adults on EWT when leading questions weren’t used (children more suscpetible to suggestibility)

Question 19

Social pressures

Answer 19

do adults make children lie?

• children want to comply with and please adults
• they aren’t raised to question adults
• may lie to meet goal set by adult
• may not be capable of dealing with pressure or leading q’s = conforming to end stressful situation
• susceptible to demand characteristics in courtroom