*Eyewitness Testimony: Misleading Information Flashcards
What is eyewitness testimony (EWT)?
The ability of people to remember the details of events, such as accidents and crimes, which they themselves have observed.
Accuracy of EWT can be affected by factors such as misleading information and anxiety.
What is misleading information?
Incorrect information given to an eyewitness usually after the event, often called post-event information. It can take many forms, such as leading questions and post-event discussion.
Misleading information can significantly alter an eyewitness’s recall.
Define a leading question.
A question which, because of the way it is phrased, suggests a certain answer.
Example: ‘Was the knife in his left hand?’ leads a person to think that’s where the knife was.
What is post-event discussion (PED)?
Occurs when there is more than one witness to an event, and witnesses discuss what they have seen with co-witnesses or others, potentially influencing the accuracy of each witness’s recall.
PED can lead to memory contamination.
What was the aim of Loftus and Palmer’s first experiment?
To determine whether eyewitness testimonies were reliable and to assess the effects of language on memory.
What were the critical questions asked in Loftus and Palmer’s first experiment?
How fast were the cars going when they smashed? / How fast were the cars going when they hit?
These questions were designed to assess the impact of leading questions.
What were the results regarding broken glass in Loftus and Palmer’s second experiment?
Participants in the smash condition were more likely to say yes (16 out of 50), hit condition (7 out of 50), and control condition (6 out of 50).
What were the mean estimated speeds for different wording in Loftus and Palmer’s first experiment?
Smashed: 40.8, Collided: 39.3, Bumped: 38.1, Hit: 34, Contacted: 31.8.
What are the two explanations for why leading questions affect EWT?
- Response bias explanation: wording changes their answer but not their memory.
- Substitution explanation: wording changes both their memory and their answer.
What were the limitations of Palmer and Loftus’s experiments?
- Laboratory setting lacks external validity.
- No real emotions involved affects recall.
What did Gabbert et al (2003) find about post-event discussion?
71% of participants claimed to see the book when allowed to discuss it, while 0% in the control group did.
This indicates that testimonies can become contaminated.
What is memory conformity?
When witnesses combine their memories and testimonies become contaminated due to post-event discussion.
How can the effects of post-event discussion be reduced, according to Bodner et al (2009)?
Recall was more accurate when participants were told to ignore any ‘hearsay’.
Why is research on misleading information important?
It has real-life consequences, as police should avoid leading questions to ensure accurate witness testimony.
What are demand characteristics?
Situations where participants give answers they think the experimenter wants, leading to false results and findings.
Fill in the blank: Eyewitness testimony can be significantly affected by _______.
[misleading information]
