eyewitness testimony

Question 1

Factors which affect the encoding of memory

Answer 1

1. prior knowledge of the event
2. duration of th eevent
3. repition of the veent
4. stress (cortisol) levels at the tiime of the event affecting successful encoding of memory

Question 2

what is the difference between recognition and recall

Answer 2

• unlike recall, recognition doesnt require details.

Question 3

what is semantic memory

Answer 3

general knowledge, facts, places names and words

Question 4

what is episodic memory

Answer 4

where personal events are stored

Question 5

Tulving (1983) experiment on episodic and semantic memory

Answer 5

Retrieval cues are important for accessing the memory trace of episodes as these were present during the encoding of memory of the event
- retrieval cues are more effective the closer they are encoded to the information

Question 6

what is a synergistic ecphory

Answer 6

a retrieval cue activating a stored memory

Question 7

what are scripts

Answer 7

event representations

expectations.

Question 8

congruity and mismatch in scripts

Answer 8

if your memory is congruent with script based knowledge you will remember it acccurately
iif there is a mismatch this MAY be resolved by using expectation to guide memory

Question 9

age x scripts

Answer 9

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

more vulnerable to negative effects (Hudson & Nelson, 1986).

unable to differentiate scripts and special events
older children can (Farrar & Goodman, 1992).

Question 10

language ???

Answer 10

as children get older they learn more words which helps learn scripts, language development is related to encoding of memories (Jack et al., 2009)

Question 11

Strategies

Answer 11

Rehearsal-
organisation
ellaboration - paired association task

Question 12

How reliable are childrens testimonies

- Suggestibility

Answer 12

1. lying
2. conforming
   young children do not have a script for cheating and report cheating less.
   personality:
   - could be a trait we lose as we get older.

Question 13

is suggestibility ecologically valid ?

Answer 13

• children could have a mechanism to protect them leading to stronger memories for serious events
• not suggestible for sexual abuse (ceci, 1991)

Question 14

what is source monitoring

Answer 14

the ability to identify sources of beliefs accurately

• retrieval cues
• highlighting sources of knowledge
• post event misinformation

Question 15

social pressures - adults could make children lie.

Answer 15

aren’t raised to question adults.

susceptible to demand characteristics of the courtroom.

Question 16

What are the main reasons children are susceptible to suggestibility?

Answer 16

• age (increase and decrease)
• knowledge
• questioning by adults
• scripts