Misleading information Flashcards
What is eyewitness testimony?
The ability of people to remember the details of events which they themselves have observed
What is misleading information?
Incorrect information given to the eyewitness after the event
What is a leading question?
A questions which, because of he way it was phrased, suggests a certain answer
What is post event discussion (PED)
Occurs when eyewitnesses discuss the event with other eyewitnesses
What did Loftus and Palmer (1974) do?
Arranged for students to watch clips of car accidents and asked how fast the cars were travelling when they hit
What is the independent variable in the Loftus and Palmer (1974) study?
The verb used to describe how the cars collided. E.g hit, contacted, bumped, smashed, collided
What were the findings for Loftus and Palmer (1974)?
Contacted = 31.8 mph estimated
Smashed = 40.5 mph estimated
What is the response bias explanation?
The wording of the question doesn’t change the participants memories, only how they answer the question
What is the substitution explanation?
The wording of the question does change the participants memory of the film clip
Why is post event discussion a negative?
The testimonies get contaminated and information in combined from other witnesses with their own memories
What did Fiona et al (2003) do?
Each participant watched a video of the same crime at different POV’s. Participants then discussed what they saw with their partner before completing individual test of recall
What were Fiona et al (2003)’s results?
71% of participants recalled things that they themselves could not see but had picked up on during discussion.
What is memory conformity?
Witnesses often go along with each other to win social approval or because they think other witnesses are right and they are wrong
