EWT

Question 1

supporting evidence for issues with EWT

Answer 1

• Johnson and scott
• ptps in 2 conditions
• either heard a calm discussion about equipment failure then a man walked out carrying a pen covered in grease
• or a violent discussion with broken glass sounds and a man walking out holding a knife covered in blood
• 49% of ptps could identify man carrying pen
• 33% could identify man holding knife
• when shown 50 photos of possible
• suggests presence of weapon caused anxiety and ptps focused on weapon rather than perpetrators face

Question 2

opposing evidence for anxiety limiting EWT

Answer 2

• yuille and cutshall
• 13 ptps interviewed 4 months after deadly shooting
• those closest to shooter provided the most accurate EWT even in an area of highest anxiety
• suggesting anxiety improves accuracy of EWT and recall

Question 3

real world applications

Answer 3

• research into EWT and its potential limitations has led to useful developments into improving accuracy of EWT
• eg the development of the cognitive interview

Question 4

supporting evidence for leading questions affecting accuracy of EWT

Answer 4

• Loftus and Palmer
• 45 ptps shown a video of a crash and were asked the question how fast were the cars going when they (interchangable verb) into each other
• verb used was either smashed or contacted
• ptps said on average 40.8mph when smashed was used
• ptps said on average 31.8mph when contacted was used
• suggesting leading questions have an impact on the accuracy of EWT and prompt a certain answer

Question 5

limitation as lab conditions used

Answer 5

• experiments were all conducted in a lab
• ptps aware that there were no actual consequences
• people may act different when under oath in a real life criminal setting where EWT could lead to conviction
• studies lack ecological and external validity