Memory- Accuracy Of Eyewitness Testimony

Question 1

What was the aim of Loftus and Palmer’s 1974 study?

Answer 1

To see whether leading questions would affect a person’s recall of an event.

Question 2

What was the method of Loftus and Palmer’s study?

Answer 2

Participants were shown film clips of accidents and then asked questions about it. Leading questions regarding the speed at which cars were travelling were asked.
‘About how fast were the cars travelling when they ___ each other’?
* hit
* bumped
* collided
* smashed
* contacted

Question 3

What were the findings of Loftus and Palmers study?

Answer 3

The highest mean estimated speed was for ‘smashed’ and the lowest for ‘contacted’.

Question 4

What is the response bias explanation?

Answer 4

It suggests that the wording of the question has no real effect on participants’ memories, just on how they decide to answer.

Question 5

What is the substitute bias explanation?

Answer 5

The critical verb changes a person’s perception of the accident, leading to a stored memory that may be more serious.

Question 6

What is post-event discussion?

Answer 6

Multiple eye witnesses to an event, discussion between them which can be a potential cause of misleading information and can affect accuracy of their accounts.

Question 7

What is a strength of misleading information/leading questions as a factor affecting eyewitness testimony?

Answer 7

Practical application- police
Loftus believes that leading questions have such an impact on memory that police officers need to be very careful about their phrasing when interviewing eye witnesses.
High external validity

Question 8

What are two weaknesses of misleading information/leading questions as a factor affecting eyewitness testimony?

Answer 8

Not applicable to real life-contradictory evidence
Yuille and Cutshall found that misleading information did not alter the memory of people who had witnessed a real armed robbery. greater influence in lab than real life situations

Not representative sample
students not representative of general population e.g. not experienced drivers so less confidence in estimating speeds, so would be more susceptible to being influenced by the verb used in the question.
Low internal (theory) low external (study)

Question 9

What is the weapon focus effect?

Answer 9

In violent crimes arousal may focus the witness on more central details of an attack then more peripheral details e.g. what else was going on/perpetrator appearance

Question 10

What was the aim of Johnson and Scott‘s anxiety study?

Answer 10

To assess the effects of anxiety on accuracy of eyewitness testimony

Question 11

What was the method and findings of Johnson and Scott‘s anxiety study?

Answer 11

Participants led to believe they were taking part in a lab study, heard an argument whilst in a waiting room. Condition 1 man comes out with greasy hands holding a pen. Condition 2 man comes out with bloody knife.
asked to identify person who came out with pen or knife from 50 photos.
Pen- accurate 49% of time
Knife- accurate 33% of time

Question 12

Draw the Yerkes- Dodson law

Question 13

What are two strengths of anxiety as a factor effecting eyewitness testimony?

Answer 13

Johnson and Scott’s study

Yerkes Dodson law

Question 14

What is a weakness of anxiety as a factor effecting eyewitness testimony?

Answer 14

Johnson and scotts study can be considered unethical.
Condition 2 contains a disturbing scene, can question ethics due to protection from harm.