debate-the reliability of eye-witness testimony

• are not reliable-Post-event information


  leading question-prompts or encourages the answer wanted

  Such questions can distort memory.
• Loftus and Zanni

  asked participants 2 different questions.

  'Did you see A broken headlight?'-7% said yes

  'Did you see THE broken headlight?'-17% said yes

  subtle changes in just one of the words can make a huge difference.

  Perception-everyone percieves things differently-perception(internal mental processes)

  (not reliable-Post event information)
• Meissner et al

  71% of witnesses change their accounts to include false components that theri co-witnesses could remember.

  (not reliable-Post-event information)
• Is reliable-Post-event information

  memories of central detail are very accurate however eye-witness research usually focuses on details that are hard to estimate(speed) or details that are not central to the incident.

  Computer analogy-humans will output info once stored in LTM,small details would have not been revised therefore cant be retrieved when asked as not stored in LTM
• Loftus


  a robber stealing a red purse

  98% of pps said it was red after being asked a leading question suggesting the bag was brown.

  Bag was a key detail in the research pps more likely to remember.

  (is reliable-Post-event information)
• Odiniot et al


  84% of real robbery recalled.

  most emotional impact=most info recalled

  real life study,memories are less likely to be distorted,contradicts Loftus research(not real life)

  (is reliable-Post-event information)
• not reliable-Crimes are emotive experiences


  crimes are usually unexpected and can be emotionally traumatising.

  Freud says such events can be repressed and enters the unconscious mind,making it difficult to get such information out of a witness.
• Parker et al


  People in Florida who witnessed hurricane Andrew.

  The more damage that they had experienced,the less likely they were to remember accurately.

  (not reliable-Crimes are emotive experiences)
• Hirst et al


  40% of flashbulb memories about 9/11 are false,vivid flashbulb memories are not as well remembered.

  (not reliable-Crimes are emotive experiences)
• are reliable-Crimes are emotive experiences


  the rush of adrenaline from a stressful situation(body being in flight or fight) can enhance memories
• Brown and Kulik


  the rush of adrenaline from a stressful situation can cause a flashbulb memory.

  computer analogy-takes a picture of the moment.

  (is reliable-Crimes are emotive experiences)
• Houston et al


  found that negative emotional content results in better memory recall due to the rise in adrenaline.

  (is reliable-Crimes are emotive experiences)
• not reliable-Child witnesses are not reliable


  children are prone to fantasy and can be easily manipulated by suggestions made by others.
• Pozzulo and Lindsay


  children under the age of 5 were not reliable witnesses for identifying possible suspects for a line up.Whereas children aged 5-13 were as accurate as adults,making the same mistakes.

  (not reliable-Child witnesses are not reliable)
• McMartin Preschool 


  involved sexual abuse accusations at a day care in California.

  All charges were dropped at the end of the trial.

  Memories of abuse had been implanted into the childrens minds by investigators,a view that swayed most of the jurors

  (nit reliable-Child witnesses are not reliable)
• are reliable-child witnesses are reliable


  children aged 6-11 were reasonably accurate and didnt make things up and where unlikely to be affecting by adult questioning.

  Witnesses are usually more accurate when questioned about criminals or suspects in their own age group.
• Otgaaret et al


  adults are at greater risk of false memories.

  more past expereinces,schemas fill in gaps of knowledge.

  (are reliable-Child witnesses are reliable)
• April Jones


  Aprils 7 year old friend was able to help identify the murderer.

  She mentioned that April got into the drivers side of the car 'happily' and describing the vehicle as a grey land rover.

  Mark Bridgers land rover which was a left handed drive vehicle(why her friend had metioned her getting into the RHS not the LHS)

  (are reliable-Child are reliable witnesses)
• not reliable-Memory is reconstructive


  schemas may distort memory,people will use previous knowledge to fill in missing gaps of their memory.Leading to inaccurate recall.Knowledge is usually filled using stereotypes.
• Yarney 


  Participants in a study were more likely to group of unknown faces as either bad or good based on their preconceived ideas about typical criminals.

  (not reliable-Memory is reconstructive)
• Bartlett


  shown his students a traditional American Indian story.He left them for days/months and asked them to recall the story.The students changed parts of the story to fit more with their own schemas.For example changing the words canoe and paddle to boat and oar.

  (not reliable-memory is reconstructive)
• is reliable-Memory is reconstructive.


  top down processing(past experiences)

  bottom up processing(based on current info coming in through the senses)

  Bottom up is accurate in recall,not based on schemas.
• bottom up study


  rape crisis reports 90% of rapists are known to their victims,have no reason to use their schemas.

  (not reliable-Memory is reconstructive)
• Yuille and Cutshall


  greater evidence in real life studies,people who witnessed a robbery were very accurate even with leading questions.

  (is reliable-Memory is reconstructive)