Anxiety

• What is the main aim of Loftus's anxiety experiment?

  To investigate the effects of anxiety on the accuracy of eyewitness testimony
• What type of experiment did Loftus conduct?

  Laboratory experiment
• What were the two conditions participants were placed in during Loftus's experiment?

  • Weapon condition (high anxiety)
  • No weapon condition (low anxiety)
• What did participants in the weapon condition hear before the experiment began?

  A hostile argument and a crash
• What did participants in the non-weapon condition see when someone left the room?

  Someone walked out with grease on their hands and a pen
• How many photographs did participants have to identify the person from?

  50 photographs
• What were the accuracy rates for the no weapon condition compared to the weapon condition?

  49% accuracy for the no weapon condition compared to 33% in the weapon condition
• What conclusion did Loftus draw from the findings of the experiment?

  Anxiety caused 'weapon focus', reducing accuracy of recall
• What is a limitation of research into anxiety affecting eyewitness testimony?

  • Ethical issues due to provoking anxiety
  • Potential psychological harm to participants
  • Real-life anxiety events are more ethical to study
• Why is research on real-life anxiety-producing events considered more ethical?

  It avoids provoking anxiety in participants
• What is a strength of Loftus's research regarding anxiety and eyewitness testimony?

  • High control over extraneous variables
  • Establishes a cause and effect relationship between anxiety (IV) and identification accuracy (DV)
• How does the research by Christianson & Hubinette differ from Loftus's study?

  Christianson & Hubinette studied real-life anxiety-producing events
• What did Christianson & Hubinette find regarding eyewitness testimony accuracy?

  Participants in their study had more accurate eyewitness testimony
• What are the implications of Loftus's and Christianson & Hubinette's findings on eyewitness testimony?

  • Anxiety affects the accuracy of eyewitness testimony
  • Different levels of anxiety can lead to varying recall accuracy
  • Ethical considerations in research design
• What is the focus of the exam question "Outline how research studied the accuracy of eyewitness testimony"?

  To summarize the research methods and findings related to eyewitness testimony accuracy
• How might anxiety affect eyewitness testimony in a bank robbery scenario?

  Anxiety may lead to 'weapon focus', reducing the ability to recall details about the robber
• What is the significance of evaluating research into the effects of anxiety on eyewitness testimony?

  It helps understand the reliability of eyewitness accounts in legal settings
• What is the main focus of the exam question "Discuss the effects of anxiety on the accuracy of eyewitness testimony"?

  To explore how anxiety influences the reliability of eyewitness accounts