Accuracy of EWT

• Reconstructive Memory


  Introduced by psychologist Bartlett, the concept suggests memories are not precise snapshots but are reconstructed and often influenced by schemas—frameworks that help interpret the world, influencing memory reconstruction and creating potential inaccuracies
• Leading Questions and Memory Alteration

  The phrasing of questions can subtly suggest certain answers, which might change a witness's recall. This is demonstrated through variations in the verb used (e.g., "smashed" vs. "hit") which significantly affects how fast participants believe a car was traveling in a simulated accident
• Memory Conformity

  When witnesses discuss events with others, their memories can conform to match others' accounts, decreasing the accuracy
• Anxiety's effect on memory


  Anxiety can either impair or enhance memory
• High anxiety


  • May focus attention on specific details (like a weapon), potentially overshadowing other important information (known as the weapon focus effect)
• Moderate anxiety


  • Might increase alertness and improve recall
• Yerkes-Dodson Law


  Memory accuracy improves with increased anxiety up to a point, after which too much anxiety can degrade memory accuracy
• Cognitive Interview Techniques


  Techniques developed to improve memory recall without leading the witness, enhancing both the accuracy and reliability of their testimony
• Cognitive Interview Techniques


  • Based on understanding the limits of eyewitness testimony
• Research into the effects of anxiety on memory


  Might be ethically questionable if it causes undue stress to participants