Memory - The Accuracy Of Eyewitness Testimony

Question 1

What was the aim and method of Yuille and Cutshall’s experiment?

Answer 1

AIM: to find out if EWT for real events can be influenced by misleading info/questions and how reliable EWT is.

METHOD: 13 witnesses to a robbery and murder in Canada were re-interviewed 5 months after the crime. The re-interview included 2 misleading questions.

Question 2

What were the results and conclusion of Yuille and Cutshall’s experiment?

Answer 2

RESULTS: the misleading questions had no effect on EWT. They still had very accurate recall of the crime. The most distressed witness had the best recall.

CONCLUSION: witnesses of real life incidents have remarkably accurate memories, even when the incident involved high levels of anxiety and weapons. These witnesses are also less likely to be prone to misleading questions.

Question 3

What effect does anxiety have on EWT (Yerkes Dodson Law)?

Answer 3

The law states:

• Performance improves with increase in arousal up to a certain optimal point and then decreases with further arousal.
• Small to medium increases in arousal may increase the accuracy of EWT but high levels will interfere with accuracy.

Question 4

What are the four stages of the cognitive interview?

Answer 4

1) Reinstatement context.
2) Recall in reverse order.
3) Recall from a changed perspective.
4) Report everything.

Question 5

What does reinstatement content mean and do?

Answer 5

Recalling how you felt and the context enhanced recall (these details act as cues to recall).

Question 6

What does recall in reverse order do?

Answer 6

When events are recalled in forward order, witnesses reconstruct based on their schemas. If the order is changed they are more accurate.

Question 7

What does recall from a changed perspective do?

Answer 7

It encourages many retrieval paths.

Question 8

What does reporting everything do?

Answer 8

Witness might not realise that some details are important so reporting everything makes sure nothing important is left out and details might help them recall significant info.

Question 9

What features did Fisher add?

Answer 9

• No distractions.
• Open questions.
• Active listening.
• No interruption.

Question 10

Evaluation: what are the negatives of the cognitive interview?

Answer 10

• Time consuming (police may not have the time or may not use all the stages in less serious cases).
• Specialist training required (this is time consuming and expensive).
• Not all aspects may be important (many police forces don’t like the change perspective stage).
• Inaccurate info can also be gathered (not fool proof).
• Not all techniques are suitable for children e.g. change perspective.
• Economic implications (money for training, etc).

Question 11

Evaluation: what are the benefits of the cognitive interview?

Answer 11

• It is more effective than the original interview.