unreliable eyewitness testimonies

• sections

  • post event information
  • weapons
  • emotive trauma
• for debate - post event information

  • loftus and palmer 1974 = speed was average estimate of 40.8mph with smashed vs 31.8mph with contacted
  • loftus and zanni = 7% saw 'a' broken headlight vs 17% 'the'
• against debate - post event information

  • loftus = 98% corrected brown bag to red after shown video of robbery and asked about bag
  • lack ecological validity = both lab studies supporting = cannot be generalised to real life
• for debate - weapons

  • johnson and scott = ppt in waiting room = half in control condition overheard conversation and confederate ran out with pen covered in greace = 49% correctly identified VS half in weapon condition overheard heated conversation and smashed glass then confederate ran out with letter opener covered in blood = 33% identified = weapon focus effect
• against debate - weapons

  • yuille and cutshall = real gun store armed robbery = robber took 2 shots at owner who killed him with 6 shots back = despite 2 misleading information observers still correctly recalled after 4 months
• for debate - emotive trauma

  • freud = painful or traumatic memories are pushed into the unconsious mind by repression = cant correctly recall
  • briere and conte = 267 adults = 59% failed to remember certain aspects of earlier trauma
• against debate - emotive trauma

  • flash bulb memory =more likely to remember these significant events in the long term
  • cahill and mcgough = adrenaline improves memory = ppts more able to remember a distressing hospital story read to them than mundane one
• implications

  • huff = 60% of 500 cases of wrongful convictions included eye witness testimonies = unethical = risk to society
  • cognitive interviews created = no leading questions