Lecture 1 - eyewitness memory Flashcards
What is the simple model on how memory is encoded and bought to short term and then long term memory?
Sensory information is given attention -> reaches the working memory
Encoding of the working memory turns it into longterm memory
Retrieval from longterm memory brings it back to working memory
What factors effect the memory of an event?
-> Encoding conditions
-> Retrieval conditions
-> Information after the event
-> Witness’ schemas
What are system variables and estimator variables?
System variables -> anything the justice system can control for in regards to eyewitness memory
Estimator variables -> all other variables
-> characteristics of the witness
-> characteristics of the event
-> characteristics of the testimony
How do the following witness characteristics effect identification: gender, age, intelligence, race, personality?
Gender -> no effect of gender
Age -> very old and very young do worse, if the suspect is not present
Intelligence -> no effect
Race -> no effect, but people are better at identifying their own race
Personality -> not enough research
Why is there a cross-race effect in identification? (utilitarian hypothesis, cognitive disregard, perceptual expertise hypothesis)
People are better at identifying people from their own race
Why?
->utilitarian hypothesis: you have less exposure to and interaction with racial minorities
-> cognitive disregard: less attention paid to other races
-> perceptual expertise hypothesis: you learn characteristics that are helpful for identification of same race faces but not other races
-> different cognitive processing
What event characteristics play a role in eyewitness identification?
Distinctive faces: highly (un)attractive faces are easier to identify
Any disguise -> creates problems
Natural aging
Time the person is visible
-> more importantly, the attention given
What is the misinformation effect and how can it be reduced?
Existing memories can be distorted when exposed to misleading information
-> retroactive interference: information after the fact distorts memory
Reduce
-> be specific
-> enlightenment: teach people how misinformation effects memory
-> discredit the misinformation source: let people know this source is bad
What is the imagination inflation effect?
Imagining an event creates a false memory for that event
What is source monitoring?
Figuring out where a memory comes from: internal (own thoughts) or external (real events)
Reality monitoring: discriminating memories of internally generated information from memories of externally derived information
What is the relationship between stress and memory?
Lab experiments: mixed results
-> some show improvements others impairment
Real life events
-> seems that stress improves memory
Remember: stress and arousal are not always the same thing
What is the Yerkes-Dodson law?
There is an optimal arousal for optimal performance
-> too little and your performance is weak
-> too high and you performance is impaired because of strong anxiety
Its a bell shape curve
What is a flashbulb memory?
The recall of very specific images or details surrounding a vivid personal event
-> details may or may not be accurate
Proximity to the event not associated with accuracy but with confidence in accuracy
How should we rethink eyewitness testimony?
“Eyewitness testimony is reliable if the proper procedures are in place”
Example: DNA can be contaminated also but the processes put in place ensure its reliable
-> the same needs to be done with memory
