6.4.1 Factors Affecting Accuracy

• What does eyewitness testimony refer to?

  Firsthand account of an event
• Eyewitness testimony is vital in legal proceedings and criminal investigations because it can help identify perpetrators
• Memory reconstruction is a process that can lead to inaccuracies in eyewitness testimony.
• What is the impact of high stress during an event on memory encoding?

  Impairs memory encoding
• Social factors such as leading questions can influence the accuracy of eyewitness testimony by causing conformity
• Order the categories of factors influencing eyewitness testimony accuracy

  1️⃣ Psychological Factors

  2️⃣ Situational Factors

  3️⃣ Post-Event Factors
• What role does eyewitness testimony play in legal proceedings?

  Establishes sequence of events
• Leading questions in post-event discussions can distort memories
• Source confusion occurs when someone forgets the original source of information.
• What is the main consequence of source confusion on eyewitness testimony?

  Mistaken identification
• Order the steps in the process of memory reconstruction

  1️⃣ Encoding fragmented memories

  2️⃣ Filling gaps with inferences

  3️⃣ Recalling reconstructed memories
• How does stress affect memory encoding and recall?

  It impairs them
• Young children and elderly individuals are equally reliable as eyewitnesses.

  False
• Prejudice distorts perceptions and reduces the accuracy of eyewitness testimony
• How does poor lighting conditions affect eyewitness accuracy?

  Reduces it
• Greater distance from an event improves observational accuracy.

  False
• Short events can lead to incomplete memories
• What effect do leading questions have on memory?

  Distort memories
• Post-event discussion can alter a witness's recollection of events.
• Match the factor with its effect on eyewitness accuracy:

  Stress ↔️ Impaired memory encoding

  Poor lighting ↔️ Reduced visibility

  Leading questions ↔️ Distorted memories
• Steps involved in memory reconstruction

  1️⃣ Rebuilding memories from fragments

  2️⃣ Filling in gaps with inferences

  3️⃣ Incorporating current knowledge

  4️⃣ Creating incomplete or distorted memories
• What is source confusion in eyewitness testimony?

  Forgetting the source
• Memory reconstruction and source confusion can compromise the reliability of eyewitness accounts.
• Environmental conditions such as poor lighting can obscure details of a suspect's face
• How does stress affect eyewitnesses during a highly stressful situation?

  It impairs memory
• Leading questions are questions that suggest a particular answer
• Why might witnesses conform in their testimony?

  To gain social approval
• Match the social factor with its impact on eyewitness accuracy:

  Leading questions ↔️ Distort memory

  Conformity ↔️ False consensus
• Eyewitness testimony is crucial in legal proceedings and criminal investigations.
• High levels of stress can impair memory encoding and recall
• What is the effect of poor lighting conditions on eyewitness testimony?

  Reduces accuracy
• Steps involved in the post-event distortion of memories

  1️⃣ Receiving leading questions

  2️⃣ Sharing details in post-event discussion

  3️⃣ Time elapses

  4️⃣ Memories fade and distort
• What are some factors that can influence the accuracy of eyewitness testimony?

  Psychological, situational, post-event
• Stress can impair memory encoding and recall
• Young children and elderly individuals are equally reliable as eyewitnesses.

  False
• How does prejudice affect the accuracy of eyewitness testimony?

  Distorts perceptions
• Poor lighting conditions reduce the accuracy of observation
• Greater distance from an event increases observational accuracy.

  False
• Why do shorter events lead to incomplete memories?

  Insufficient encoding time
• Leading questions suggest particular answers, distorting memories