Factors Affecting EWT; Anxiety

Question 1

What is a key study into anxiety as a factor affecting EWT?

Answer 1

Johnson and Scott 1976

Question 2

What was Johnson and Scott’s 1976 study into factors affecting eyewitness testimony?

Answer 2

Participants sat in the waiting room – man walks in holding either bloody knife or greasy pen. The higher anxiety condition had lower correct identifications. The tunnel theory says that attention narrows to focus on the source of anxiety.

Question 3

What is a second he study significant in the investigation into anxiety as a factor affecting EWT?

Answer 3

Yuille and Cutshall in 1986

Question 4

What was Yuille & Cutshall’s study into the effects of anxiety on EWT?

Answer 4

They interviewed 13 witnesses 4 to 5 months after shooting, each witness recorded there stress level on a seven point scale.
Higher stress=Higher accuracy - 88%
Lower stress=Lower accuracy - 75%

Question 5

What did Yerkes & Dodson suggest about anxiety and performance?

Answer 5

They said there was an inverted U relationship between arousal and performance. Performance increases with stress to a certain point.

Question 6

What did Deffenbacher do?

Answer 6

He applied the theory of why Y&D to eyewitness testimony.

Question 7

What are the evaluation points but anxiety as a factor affecting eyewitness testimony?

Answer 7

• J and S study may test surprise not anxiety
• Field studies like Y&C lack control
• there are potential ethical issues with Johnson and Scott study