Factors affecting Eyewitness Testimony: Misleading Information Flashcards
What is eyewitness testimony (EWT)?
The ability of people to remember details of events (e.g., accidents or crimes) they have personally witnessed.
What is misleading information in the context of EWT?
Incorrect information given to an eyewitness after the event, such as leading questions or post-event discussion.
What is a leading question?
A question that suggests a certain answer through its wording, e.g. “Was the knife in the accused’s left hand?”
What is post-event discussion (PED)?
When witnesses discuss what they saw after the event, which can contaminate their memory and reduce accuracy.
What was the aim of Loftus and Palmer’s study?
To investigate how leading questions affect EWT accuracy.
Describe the procedure of Loftus and Palmer’s study.
Participants watched video clips of car crashes and were asked how fast the cars were going using different verbs (e.g., hit, smashed, contacted).
What were the findings of Loftus and Palmer’s study?
The estimated speed varied with the verb used—e.g., “smashed” led to higher speed estimates (40.5 mph) than “contacted” (31.8 mph).
What is the response-bias explanation (Loftus and Palmer)?
Leading questions don’t change memory—just how people decide to answer.
What is the substitution explanation (Loftus and Palmer)?
Leading questions actually alter memory. For example, “smashed” made participants more likely to recall false details like broken glass.
What was the aim of Gabbert et al.’s study?
To explore how Post event discussion affects the accuracy of EWT.
Describe the procedure of Gabbert et al.’s study.
Pairs of participants watched the same crime from different angles and discussed what they saw before individual recall tests.
What were the findings of Gabbert et al.’s study?
71% of participants recalled things they hadn’t actually seen, but heard in discussion. The control group (no discussion) had 0% false recall.
What is memory conformity?
When witnesses conform to others’ accounts due to social approval or believing others are right.
What is a strength of this research?
It has real-world applications—e.g., improving police interview techniques and legal processes.
Why do consequences matter in real-life EWT?
In real life, EWT has serious consequences (e.g., wrongful convictions), which may make people more careful—unlike in studies where accuracy isn’t as crucial (Foster et al., 1994).
What is a limitation regarding artificial tasks?
Watching video clips lacks the emotional stress of real-life events, so findings may not apply to real EWT.
What individual differences affect EWT accuracy?
Older people tend to be less accurate than younger people, but all age groups show the own age bias—better recall for people their own age.
What are demand characteristics in EWT studies?
Participants may guess answers to seem helpful, especially in yes/no questions, which reduces the validity of findings (Zaragosa & McCloskey, 1989).
