Memory- factors affecting accuracy of EWT AO1 Flashcards
What are the two factors that can affect accuracy of EWT?
Misleading information (leading questions and post-event discussion)
Anxiety
What are schemas?
Ready-made expectations based on previous experiences, moods, knowledge, contexts, attitudes and stereotypes
How are schemas used?
Used to interpret the world
Help fill in gaps in knowledge
Simplify processing of information
What implications do schemas have on reliability of EWT?
Witnesses not merely recalling facts as they happened but reconstructing memories which are biased by schemas active at time of recall
What are leading questions?
Questions that make it likely that participant’s answer will be affected or influenced by words in question or way it is asked (tone of voice, body language)
How can leading questions affect accuracy of EWT?
Words in question can activate pre-existing knowledge and expectations (schemas) and then influence people to give answers based on these expectations
What is post-event discussion?
Conversation between co-witnesses or interviewer and eyewitness after a crime has taken place which may contaminate witness’ memory of event
What is the phenomenon memory conformity?
When witnesses go along with each other to either win social approval or if they believe the other witnesses are right or wrong
What is the reconstructive hypothesis suggested by Loftus and Palmer?
Idea that 2 kinds of information go into a person’s memory for an event :
Person’s own perception
Information supplied after event (e.g. leading questions)
How does anxiety link to EWT?
Level of anxiety may have impact on our ability to recall events
Anxiety often associated with witnessing real life crimes
Can divert attention away from important features of situation
What can be used to look at effect of anxiety on EWT?
Yerkes-Dodson inverted-U hypothesis –> moderate amounts of emotional arousal can improve detail and accuracy of memory recall up to optimal point
Further increases in emotional arousal leads to decline in recall
What does general research show about the effect of anxiety?
Very heightened anxiety tends to negatively affect memory of eyewitnesses but some level of anxiety can be beneficial
What is the weapon focus effect determined in Johnson and Scott’s experiment?
When participants have accurate detail of central detail of crime (e.g. weapon) but poor memory for peripheral details
