Misleading Information

Question 1

What is an ‘Eyewitness Testimony’?

Answer 1

• The ability of people to remember the details of events, such as accidents or crimes, which they have observed.

Question 2

What factors can affect an EWT?

Answer 2

• Misleading information
• Leading questions
• Post-event Discussion

Question 3

What is ‘Misleading information’?

Answer 3

• Incorrect information given to the eyewitness usually after the event.
• Examples of this are Leading questions and Post-event Discussion

Question 4

What are ‘Leading questions’?

Answer 4

• A question which, because of the way it is phrased, suggests a certain answer

Question 5

• What is ‘Post-event Discussion’?

Answer 5

• Occurs when there is more than one witness to an event.
• Witness can discuss what they have seen with co-witnesses or other people.
• This may influence the accuracy of the recall of the event.

Question 6

What was the research behind the effects of leading questions?

Answer 6

• 5 groups of 9 watched a video of a car crash and answered a questionnaire, and were asked a specific question about the speed of the car.
• The verb was manipulated - Smashed, collided, bumped, hit or contacted.
• They found that the estimated speed was impacted by the verb used.

Question 7

What are the two explanation of how leading questions can impact EWT?

Answer 7

• Response Bias
• Substitution

Question 8

What is ‘Response Bias’?

Answer 8

• The wording of the question has no real impact on the participants memories, it just influences how they decide to answer.
• When participants get a leading question like ‘smashed’ it encourages them to choose a higher speed estimate.

Question 9

What is ‘Substitution’?

Answer 9

• The wording of a question can change the participant’s memory.
• This was demonstrated in Loftus’ second experiment, where the participants had their memory altered depending on which word they heard in the original question (Don’t need to know just helps to remember).

Question 10

Evaluate EWT.

Answer 10

• Research behind EWT lacked mundane realism as participants were warned about what they were about to witness. In everyday life, participants usually have no warning before an incident.
• Research is very controlled, all participants were shown the same video and given the same instructions which makes it more easy to replicate.