eyewitness testimony- misleading info

Question 1

misleading information

Answer 1

incorrect info given to an eyewitness usually after the event

Question 2

leading questions

Answer 2

questions that encourage certain answers because of the way they are phrased

Question 3

post event discussions

Answer 3

people discuss their experiences with co-witnesses, their accounts can be affected

Question 4

loftus and palmer- leading questions

Answer 4

asked questions about the video using verbs: hit, bumped, collided, smashed, contacted.
ppts asked with more intense verbs = higher speeds + more severe damage than those with less intense verbs = wording of questions can distort eyewitness testimony + influence memory recall.

Question 5

gabbert et al- post event discussion- study

Answer 5

In a study where participants watched crime clips from different points of view and then discussed them, 71% later recalled details they hadn’t actually seen. This shows how post-event discussion can distort memory and reduce the accuracy of eyewitness testimony.

Question 6

strength- real life application

Answer 6

Loftus’ research shows that leading questions can have a significant distorting effect on eyewitness memory. This highlights the need for police to be mindful of how they phrase questions in interviews, as improper questioning can lead to inaccurate testimonies with serious real-world consequences.

Question 7

weakness- demand characteristics

Answer 7

Ppts in Loftus and Palmer’s study may have guessed answers when unsure, wanting to seem helpful or give the ‘right’ response. This causes social desirability bias, reducing the accuracy and validity of the findings.

Question 8

weakness- artificial tasks

Answer 8

Ppts watched a video of an accident, which is very different from witnessing one in real life. This means the findings may not reflect how eyewitness memory works in real, emotionally charged situations, limiting ecological validity.