Factors effecting accuracy of EWT - Misleading information

• What is misleading information?

  Incorrect information given to the eyewitness usually after the event
• What are examples of misleading information?

  - leading questions

  - post-event discussion between co-witnesses/people
• What are leading questions?

  Questions that imply a particular answer and can influence how a memory is recalculated
• What are post-event contamination/discussion?

  When the recalling of events by one witness alters the accuracy of the recall by another witness
• What study supports for misleading information being a factor for affecting the accuracy of EWT?

  Loftus and Palmer (1974)

  - 45 Participants were shown clips of traffic accidents.

  - After watching the clip they were asked the following critical (leading questions) "how fast were the cars going when they _ into each other.

  - The missing verb was changed to ( smashed , collided , bumped , hit or contracted)

  - It was found the more extreme the verb the faster the estimation of MPH. Contacted= 31.8 , Smashed= 40.8
• What study supports for post-event discussion for being a factor of affecting the accuracy of EWT?

  Gabbert et al (2003)

  - studied participants in pairs.Each participant watched a video of the same crime from different points of view.So each participant could see elements in the event that others could not.

  - Both participants discussed what they had seen before individually completing a test of recall

  - 71% of the witnesses who had discussed the event went on to mistakenly recall items acquired during the discussion
• What are strengths of misleading information/post-event discussion being a factor that affects accuracy of EWT?

  - Real life application: Has practical use in the CJS. Psychologists often attend court and explain the limits of EWT and the effect of leading questions on reliability of answers
• What are limitations of misleading information/post-event discussion being a factor that affects accuracy of EWT?

  - Artificial task: Participants watched film clips which is a different experience from witnessing a real accident as they lack the stress of a real accident

  - Individual differences: Research suggests that people aged 18-45 are more accurate in EWT than people aged 55-75.

  - Demand Characteristics: Were in play in Loftus and Palmers study as it was in a lab , meaning that participants knew they were in a study