Memory - Eyewitness testimony and misleading information Flashcards
What is an eyewitness testimony (EWT)?
It’s the information recalled about a crime by an eyewitness.
What are the 2 forms of misleading (incorrect) information that reduce the accuracy of EWT?
Leading questions
Post-event discussions
Who investigated the effects of leading questions on EWT accuracy?
Loftus and Palmer 1974
Fill in the blanks: Loftus and Palmer (___) procedure: Participants watched a film clip of a ___ ___ and then gave speed estimates of the cars based on the ___ question of “About how ___ were the cars going when they x into each other?”, with each group being exposed to a different ___ verb. Those exposed to the verb “___” gave a speed estimate 8.7 mph greater than those who’d heard “contacted”. Therefore, this shows that leading questions, because of the way they are ___, suggest that there is a
___ answer.
1974, car crash, leading, fast, critical, smashed, phrased, correct
How can the effects of leading questions be explained?
The concept of response bias - certain questions influence a certain answer.
Who investigated the effects of post-event discussions on EWT accuracy?
Gabbert et al 2003
Fill in the blanks: Gabbert et al (___), using a matched-pairs ___, showed participants a film clip of the same ___ scene, but with different details for each member. After engaging in post-event ___ with the other member of each pair and individually completing a test of ___, the researchers found 71% ___ rates of information gained through such discussions, compared to a 0% ___ group rate who had worked alone throughout.
2003, design, crime, discussions, recall, inaccuracy, control
What do post-event discussions also demonstrate ideas of?
Memory conformity - we’re more likely to pick up on incorrect ideas or details because we believe that we are wrong and the other person is right.
What are 3 limitations of research into misleading information?
No research into varying age groups - perhaps elderly and teenagers will conform more to misleading information than middle aged adults.
Demand characteristics may reduce the reliability of findings.
The artificial tasks and stimuli used by both Loftus and Palmer, alongside Gabbert, reduces the ecological validity of the findings and the mundane realism of the methodology.
