*Factors Affecting Eyewitness Testimony: Anxiety Flashcards
What is anxiety?
Mind and body’s reaction to usually stressful, dangerous, or unfamiliar situations
Sense of uneasiness, distress, or dread
What are negative effects of anxiety?
Prevents attention to cues in the environment, negative effect on recall
What are positive effects of anxiety?
Creates physiological arousal, triggers fight or flight response, increases alertness, improves memory
What does the Yerkes-Dodson Law (1908) describe?
The relationship between arousal and performance, indicating an optimal level of arousal for peak performance
What methodology was used in the ‘Labyrinth of Horror’ study by Valentine and Mescout (2009)?
Quasi-experiment with heart monitors to measure anxiety levels in visitors
What were the results of the ‘Labyrinth of Horror’ study regarding memory recall?
Low anxiety group identified the person 75% of the time; high anxiety group identified the person 17% of the time
What ethical issues are associated with lab studies?
Risk of causing psychological harm
What are demand characteristics in psychological studies?
Participants may guess the experiment’s purpose and alter their behavior accordingly
What is a quasi-experiment?
Not a true experiment as it lacks complete control and manipulation over variables, uses existing changes/variables
What is a limitation of quasi-experiments?
Difficulty establishing a cause-and-effect relationship due to non-manipulated pre-existing variables
What is the ‘weapons focus effect’ as demonstrated by Johnson and Scott (1976)?
If a weapon is present during a crime, individuals are more likely to focus on the weapon than the perpetrator
What were the findings of Johnson and Scott (1976) regarding anxiety and recall?
49% of the low anxiety group correctly identified the man; 33% of the high anxiety group correctly identified the man
What was the focus of the study by Yuille and Cutshall (1986)?
Real-life situation involving a shop owner shooting a thief and the accuracy of witness recall
What were the results of Yuille and Cutshall’s study regarding witness accuracy and stress levels?
Higher stress levels reported 88% accuracy; lower stress levels reported 75% accuracy
What does Deffenbacher (1983) suggest about anxiety and eyewitness testimony (EWT)?
There is a point of maximum accuracy; too little anxiety leads to low recall, too much anxiety leads to decreased recall
What are some limitations of studying anxiety?
Difficult to define and measure accurately; involves cognitive, behavioral, physical, and emotional processes
True or False: The Yerkes-Dodson Law only relates to the physical arousal of anxiety.
True
