Content

• What is misleading information?


  Incorrect information given to a witness after an event has taken place
• What are the two forms of misleading information?

  Post-event discussion and leading questions
• How do post-event discussions and leading questions affect eyewitness testimony (EWT)?


  They decrease the accuracy of EWT
• What is anxiety defined as in the context of eyewitness testimony?


  A state of emotional and physical arousal, including worrying thoughts and feelings of tension
• What are some physical changes associated with anxiety?


  Increased heart rate and sweatiness
• How does anxiety affect the accuracy and detail of EWT?


  It can affect the accuracy and detail of EWT negatively
• What physiological effect does anxiety have on recall accuracy?


  Anxiety creates physiological arousal that prevents attention to important cues
• What are some factors likely to cause anxiety when witnessing an incident?


  Loud noises, blood, and weapons
• What was the aim of Johnson and Scott's (1976) study?


  To investigate the effect of anxiety on eyewitness identification
• What were the two conditions in Johnson and Scott's study?


  Low anxiety condition and high anxiety condition
• What did participants in the low anxiety condition witness?


  A man carrying a pen with grease on his hands
• What did participants in the high anxiety condition witness?


  A man with a knife covered in blood after hearing glass smash
• What percentage of participants could identify the correct man in the low anxiety condition?


  49%
• What percentage of participants could identify the correct man in the high anxiety condition?


  33%
• What is the Tunnel theory in relation to anxiety and EWT?


  It suggests a focus of attention on the weapon as the source of anxiety
• What is a conclusion drawn from Johnson and Scott's study regarding anxiety and EWT?


  Anxiety has a negative effect on the accuracy of EWT
• What is a strength of Johnson and Scott's study?


  It has high ecological validity due to its realistic setting
• What is a counterpoint regarding ethical issues in Johnson and Scott's study?


  There was a breach of ethical issues due to failure to protect participants from psychological harm
• What is a limitation regarding control in Johnson and Scott's study?


  There was a lack of control over extraneous variables
• What does the Yerkes-Dodson law state about emotional arousal and performance?


  It works according to an inverted U shape
• How does Deffenbacher (1983) apply the Yerkes-Dodson law to EWT?


  Lower levels of arousal cause lower levels of recall accuracy, increasing until an optimal level is reached
• What happens to recall accuracy if anxiety levels exceed the optimal level according to the Yerkes-Dodson law?


  Recall accuracy declines rapidly
• What are the negative effects of anxiety on eyewitness testimony?


  • Physiological arousal prevents attention to important cues
  • Recall becomes less accurate
  • Factors causing anxiety include loud noises, blood, and weapons
• What are the positive effects of anxiety on eyewitness testimony?


  • Triggers the 'fight or flight' response
  • Increases alertness
  • Improves memory of the event by enhancing awareness of cues
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of Yuille and Cutshall's (1986) study?


  Strengths:

  • High ecological validity due to real-life event
  • Witnesses were accurate in their accounts

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Lack of control over extraneous variables
  • Not generalizable due to specific event context
  • Sample bias as some witnesses did not participate