Internal factors affecting accuracy of EWT

• What is the negative effect of anxiety as a factor affecting EWT

  Anxiety creates arousal with prevents paying attention to important cues and worsening recall
• research into the negative effect of anxiety as a factor affecting EWT

  2 conditions waiting room study. Low anxiety condition overheard casual conversation and saw man with a pen. High anxiety condition overheard heated argument then saw man with knife. Found low anxiety had 49% accurate recall, high anxiety had 33%.

  tunnel theory suggests we have better memory for central events like weapons
• What is the positive effect of anxiety as a factor affecting EWT

  anxiety triggers fight or flight response > increasing alertness and improving memory for better recall
• Research into the positive effect of anxiety as a factor affecting EWT

  Shooting interveiw in canada study: interveiw 13 witnesses 4 months post shooting and compared recall with police reports. Witnesses rated stress levels, number of details reported. Found recall very accurate especially in high stress participants > suggesting anxiety not detrimental in real life
• What is the yerkes doyle law for explaining contradictions in anxiety

  Anxiety increases performance only up to a point
• What Is a weakness of the negative effect of anxiety explanation for affecting EWT

  People were surprised not scared. Follow up study had items in hairdresser (gun, Chicken, scissors) and found EWT Worse in unusual chicken condition. Doesnt explain effect of anxiety
• What Is a strength of the negative effect of anxiety explanation for affecting EWT

  Supporting research of london dungeon study. People recall scary actor at horror event > stressed people had worst recall (17% identification vs 75% for non stressed) proves anxiety does cause problems
• What Is a strength of the positive effect of anxiety explanation for affecting EWT

  Supporting evidence of Swedish bank robber witnesses > direct witnesses most stressed but most recall which confirms positive effects.

  However this was after the event so PED likely