Eye witness testimony

• What is the role of eyewitnesses in court?

  They provide evidence that could result in convictions
• What factors can affect the accuracy of eyewitness testimony?

  Misleading information, post-event discussion, and anxiety
• What is Bartlett's argument regarding memories?

  • Memories are not accurate snapshots
  • They are reconstructive
  • Memories are influenced by schemas
• What are schemas in psychology?

  Schemas are packages of information used to understand the world
• How do schemas affect eyewitness testimony?

  Schemas can lead to errors in memory reconstruction
• What term did Bartlett use to describe false memories?

  Confabulations
• What is substitution bias in memory recall?

  It occurs when the actual memory is replaced by misleading information
• What is response bias in memory recall?

  It occurs when emotional pressure alters a witness's response
• What is post-event discussion?

  It is the contamination of eyewitness testimony through discussion with other witnesses
• How did Loftus's study demonstrate the effect of leading questions?

  By changing the verb used in questions about a traffic accident
• What is memory conformity?

  It is when witnesses alter their testimony to match other witnesses' accounts
• What was the result of Loftus's study regarding the verb used in questions?

  The more extreme the verb, the faster the estimated speed of the cars
• What was the follow-up question in Loftus's study about broken glass?

  Did you see any broken glass?
• What percentage of participants in Loftus's study reported seeing broken glass in the smash condition?

  More than twice as many participants
• What did Gabbert's study demonstrate about eyewitness testimony?

  Witnesses included items they hadn't seen after discussing with others
• What is anxiety defined as in the context of eyewitness testimony?

  A mental state of arousal and caution
• How can anxiety affect eyewitness recall?

  It can either decrease or increase recall accuracy
• What is the weapon focus effect?

  Witnesses focus on the weapon, reducing their ability to recall other details
• What does the Yerkes-Dodson law of arousal suggest?

  There is an optimal level of anxiety for recall accuracy
• What was the main finding of Johnson and Scott's study?

  Participants identified the man with the pen better than the man with the knife
• What does Peters's study suggest about recall accuracy?

  Recall was worse for identifying a nurse than a researcher
• What counter-evidence exists regarding anxiety and eyewitness testimony?

  Some witnesses had highly accurate recall despite high stress levels
• What are the limitations of lab-based eyewitness studies?

  • Low validity due to lack of real-world consequences
  • Demand characteristics may influence responses
  • Ethical concerns regarding participant harm
• What is the cognitive interview?

  A technique developed to improve the accuracy of eyewitness testimony
• What is a potential consequence of incorrect eyewitness testimony?

  Wrongful convictions
• Why is it important to study factors affecting eyewitness testimony?

  To improve the accuracy of testimonies in legal settings
• What should participants provide before being involved in research on anxiety?

  Informed consent
• What is the significance of the research on eyewitness testimony?

  It helps understand the reliability of eyewitness accounts in court