Pozzulo et al

• Psych Being Invg

  human memory: eyewitness produce false memory (believes to be true)
• Background

  studied child-witnesses, cog effects (way ques asked) resp for errors in decision-making

  
  

  Pozzulo & Lindsay (1997): children less likely to say idk

  -lineups create mistakes: culprit not in lineup, more likely to identify innocent person false positive response

  
  

  soc effects on child witness:

  -need to choose

  -authority figure = comply

  -more pressured make choice (fear getting in trouble)
• Aim

  soc vs cog factors on childrens performance (minimize cog)

  -identification (targ present)/rejection(targ absent) of cartoon characters
• Hypotheses

  -children good as adults identifying carton faces target present

  -children worse identifying human faces target present

  
  

  -children worse than adults rejecting cartoon faces target absent

  -children worse than adults rejecting human faces target absent
• Method

  labratory exp (police station)

  exp design: comparison (cv.a) independent measures

  -familiarity of target: repeated measures

  IV: 3

  -age: young children vs adults

  -line-up: identification (targ present) vs rejection (target absent)

  -level cog dem: familiarity of target (cartoon) = low cog dem, dif due to soc demands vs humans (unfamiliar = higher cog dem)

  DV: identifying correct faces presented empty silhouette
• Sample

  59 children, 21f/38m

  -mean age 4.98 4-7yrs

  -prek/kinderg class priv school East Ontario (info prov by adults

  53 adults, 36f/17m

  -mean age 20.54yrs

  -recruited Intro Psych Par Eastern Ontario Univ
• Procedure Video clips

  Human Face Targ:

  -2 caucasian students

  6 sec clip everyday task

  -female brushing hair, male putting coat on

  -no color/sound; showed 2-3 sec face

  
  

  Cartoon:

  Two 6 sec clips

  -Dora explorer talking to audience

  -Go Diego Go putting on pair of gloves for safety

  -color, no sound; showed 2-3 sec face
• Procedure Photoarrays

  Human Face Targ:

  dif clothes

  -each target 4 foil photos chosen sim features

  -cropped include face, neck, top, shoulders

  
  

  Cartoons:

  2 cartoon targets, 4 foils off internet sim judged

  -cropped char face, sim clothes
• Procedure

  Targ present: 3 foils; Targ abs: 4 foils

  blank silhouette if par judged target not present

  -simultaneous array (all at once)

  
  

  -position target randomized; target abs: 4th foil located same pos as og target

  
  

  -4 vids each cond cartoon targ pres/abs & human targ pres/abs

  -random order followed lineup

  -position/matching foil counterbalanced

  
  

  -children did crafts before, 3 fem exp professional/casual clothing;

  free recall/filler ques

  
  

  -non-spec probing questions: know anything else?

  -instructions: look at photos, may/may not be there
• Results

  Aims supported

  -child/adult identification/rejection accuracy

  -childrens iden/rej accuracy betw cartoon/human

  adults better at children most tasks
• Conclusion


  errors in targ absent lineup cartoons result soc factors due to ceiling effect w target present (100% accuracy)

  -not expected by faulty memory (cog fac)

  most likely soc factor: expectation to make selection, effects social demands (larger)
• Strengths

  lab exp: standardized env, identical as position (nec to make task equally accesible)

  -ensured DV fully operationalized

  quantitative data: used statistics, comp cond, look at dif caused by DV

  dem characteristics controlled: avoided explaining main aim when briefed, inc internal validity (age only impact)
• Weaknesses

  lineup not real (lab exp)

  -emotional experience not same, lowers ecological validity (soc effects)
• Ethics

  -real crimes = risk for potential harm

  -consent gained

  -children had comfort, right to withdraw, monitored stress to protect harm