Factors affecting the accuracy of eyewitness testimony - Anxiety Flashcards
What is anxiety?
Witnesses may be in a state of how arousal if there is a threat or danger
What is the Yerkes-Dodson law?
There is an optimum level of anxiety
What is the weapon focus effect?
A witness may remember more about the thing that poses the threat and less about other details
What is the Johnson and Scott research into anxiety?
Condition 1 - overheard discussion about lab equipment failure then saw person emerge from lab holding pen and grease covered hands.
Condition 2 - overheard hostile debate
heard breaking glass and crashing chairs
man came out holding a knife and covered in blood
Pts asked to recall person from 50 photos
condition 1 - 49%
condition 2 - 33%
What was the Deffenbacher research into anxiety?
Carried out meta-analysis of 63 studies found that there was an increase in EWT accuracy up to high levels of anxiety. However, extreme anxiety caused recall to drop significantly.
What was the Loftus and Burns research into anxiety?
Pts saw video of bank robbery
Condition 1 - violent
Condition 2 - non violent
Those who saw violent incident recalled significantly less
Does the research into anxiety have high internal validity?
Lab experiments well controlled meaning there is cause and effect therefore research can be easily generalised.
How does a high level of control increase reliability of research into anxiety?
Standardised procedures so can be replicated. Loftus and Barnes - 2 obvious conditions
How do lab experiments weaken research into anxiety?
Low ecological validity
Crime is viewed on video so pts will be paying attention therefore far less stressful.
How is research into anxiety inconsistent?
Christianson and Hubinette carried out survey among 110 people who had witnessed 22 bank robberies. Some were bystanders and some were directly threatened. Victims showed more accurate recall.
