Eyewitness Testimony

Question 1

who did the weapon focus effect and when ?

Answer 1

• Johnson and Scott

- 1976

Question 2

outline the weapon focus effect method and results

Answer 2

• participants waited in reception and were exposed to
  1. high anxiety condition - man with knife runs past
  2. low anxiety condition - man with pen walks past
• participants had to identify the man from 50 photos,
• those in the pen condition were correct 49% of the time
• those in the knife condition were correct 39% of the time
• concluded that the knife created higher levels of anxiety , so the witness focused their attention on the weapon and not the face of the man ( weapon focus effect)therefore reducing the accuracy of their ewt

Question 3

what time of experiment was the weapon focus effect

Answer 3

lab experiment

Question 4

what experimental design was the weapon focus effect ?

Answer 4

independent groups design

Question 5

what are the factors affecting the accuracy of eyewitness testimony ?

Answer 5

• misleading information, including leading questions
• post event discussion
• anxiety