AO3

• Evaluation points for misleading information:

  • Real life application: Police interviews
  • Real life application: Counterpoint
  • Problems with research
  • Evidence against memory conformity (againts Gabbert et al)
• Real Life Application: Police Interviews


  POINT

  • Findings from research into how misleading information can affect EWT can be applied to real life situations, such as police questioning and how to phrase interview questions.
• Real Life Application: Police Interviews


  EXPLANATION

  • Loftus and Palmers findings show how the different vocabulary and phrasing of questions can greatly impact EWT. This can be applied to police questioning and shows how important the type of words used can influence accuracy of EWT.
• Real Life Application: Police Interviews

  EXAMPLE

  • Psychologists are sometimes asked to speak in court as an expert witness to explain the limitations of EWT.
• Real Life Application: Police Interviews


  LINK

  • This shows that findings from Loftus and Palmer's research can be applied in everyday situation to improve police work and make accurate convictions.
• Real Life Application: Counterpoint


  POINT

  • Real life application of findings from research into EWT may be invalid due to limitations from the studies itself.
• Real Life Application: Counterpoint


  EXPLANATION

  • Loftus and Palmer and Gabbert et al's research was conducted in a lab environment with an artificial task where the conditions are very different to how they would be in a real life situation. Both studies involved an artificial task where the consequences of their testimony don't matter, whereas accuracy of EWT is crucial in real life situations.
  • Their research was also conducted in no-stress conditions, whereas in real life situations stress levels will be significantly higher.
• Real Life Application: Counterpoint


  LINK

  • This questions the validity of findings from research conducted into the effect of misleading information on EWT.
• Evidence Challenging Memory Conformity

  POINT

  • Research suggests that memory contamination also plays an important part in EWT, not just memory conformity.
• Evidence Challenging Memory Conformity


  EXPLANATION

  • Skagerburg and Wright shows ppts a video of a perpetrator mugging someone, however one version had light brown hair and the other had dark brown hair
  • Ppts conducted post-event discussion in pairs, each seeing different versions.
• Evidence Challenging Memory Conformity


  EXAMPLE

  • Skagerburg and Wright found that instead of completely adopting their pairs perspective, ppts mostly gave an account which combined both of their perspectives, saying that the perpetrator had medium brown hair.
• Evidence Challenging Memory Conformity


  LINK

  • This suggests that memory contamination plays an important role in EWT and comes from post-event discussion, questioning memory conformity as an explanation for factors influencing EWT.