Influence Of Anxiety On Eyewitness Testimonies

Question 1

Define anxiety

Answer 1

A state of emotional and physical arousal

Question 2

What is the Yerkes-Dodson law

Answer 2

States that extreme anxiety (too high or too low) reduces EWT accuracy and moderate anxiety enhances EWT accuracy

Question 3

What is the weapon focus effect

Answer 3

A weapon in a criminal’s hand distracts attention from other features (because of the anxiety it creates) and therefore reduces the accuracy of identification of the perpetrator in a crime

Question 4

Name the study which shows the negative effect of anxiety on EWT accuracy (weapon focus effect)

Answer 4

Johnson and Scott (1976)

Question 5

Describe the procedure and findings of the study which shows the negative effect of anxiety

Answer 5

-participants were asked to wait in a reception area of a lab where they overheard an argument in the next room before a man leaves the room. There were two conditions:
1. Low anxiety condition- participants overheard argument in lab and man walks out holding a pen, with hands covered in grease
2. High anxiety condition- participants overheard heated argument, sound of breaking glass and crashing chairs before a man runs out holding and bloodied letter opener
-both groups were shown 50 photos and asked to identify the man they saw leaving the room
-findings showed 49% accuracy in the low anxiety condition and 33% accuracy in high anxiety condition

Question 6

Name two studies which show the positive effect of anxiety on EWT accuracy

Answer 6

1. Yuille and Cutshall (1986) - Canadian robbery
2. Christianson and Hubinette (1993)- Swedish bank robbery

Question 7

Describe the procedure and findings of Yuille and Cutshall (1986)

Answer 7

• real-life shooting in a Canadian gun ship where the owner shot the thief dead
• witnesses were interviewed 4-5 months later and compared with the original police interview made at the time of shooting
• witnesses were asked to rate how stressed they has felt at the time of incident
• it was found that witnesses accounts were very accurate and there was little change in accuracy after 5 months
• participants with highest stress were most accurate (about 88% compared to 75% for less-stressed group)

Question 8

Describe the procedure and findings of Christianson and Hubinette study (1993)

Answer 8

• questioned 58 real witnesses to Swedish bank robberies
• witnesses were either victims (bank teller= high anxiety) or bystanders (employee/customer= low anxiety)
• interviews were conducted 4-5 months after robberies
• it was found that all witnesses had good memories for details of robbery and the most anxious witnesses (victims) had the best recall