Memory: Effect of anxiety on EWT

Question 1

Describe the weapon focus effect

Answer 1

concentration of a witnesses attention on a weapon resulting in a reduced ability to remember other details of the crime

Question 2

Describe research into the negative effects of anxiety on EWT

Answer 2

• Johnson and Scott (1976)
• ppts in waiting room, low anxiety and high anxiety condition
• Low anxiety: overheard discussion about equipment not working, man left room carrying a pen with grease on hands
• High anxiety: overheard argument, man left with bloody knife
• 49% could recall man from condition one compared to 33% in condition 2 (attention focussed on weapon)

Question 3

Research into positive effects of anxiety

Answer 3

• Yuille and Cutshall
• 21 witnesses to a crime interviewed immediately after by police
• 4-5 months later: 13 agreed to be interviewed by Yuille and Cutshall
• High levels of accuracy - more distressed = more accurate account
• Anxiety = alert

Question 4

What did Deffenbacher do?

Answer 4

Reviewed 21 studies and found that stress-performance relationship followed an inverted U as proposed by the Yerke-Dodson curve

Question 5

What is the Yerke-Dodson law?

Answer 5

• Inverted U
• Moderate levels of anxiety yielded the best and most optimum level of recall and performance.

Question 6

Evaluation

Answer 6

• Johnson and Scott = unethical

+ Valentine and Mesout: ppts high/low anxiety based on HR, anxiety disrupted ability to recall details of actor in horror labyrinth

-Inverted U doesn’t consider cognitive, emotional and behavioural aspects - only physical. (Way we think about an event could impact recall)

• Pickel: Scissors, handgun, wallet, raw chicken used as items in hairdressing salon video. Accuracy of EWT low in unusual conditions (chicken + gun) –> weapon focus due to unusualness not anxiety