L11 - Anxiety and Eyewitness Testimony

Question 1

First condition for Loftus experiment?

Answer 1

Participants overhead a hostile argument and sounds of violence
One person walked out with a bloodied letter opener

Question 2

Second condition?

Answer 2

Calm conversation

Walked out with a pen

Question 3

Other procedure details?

Answer 3

Has to identify person who walked out from 50 photos

Question 4

How does anxiety affect memory in theory?

Answer 4

Impairs physical/psychological functioning and so prevents accurate and detailed recall of crime

Question 5

What is the name for when the presence of a weapon causes a person to focus on it and not anything else?

Answer 5

Weapon focus effect

Question 6

Findings of Loftus experiment?

Answer 6

49% identified correctly in pen condition

33% in letter opener

Question 7

Advantage related to watching one of two videos?

Answer 7

Recall was less accurate for the video where the boy was shot in the head rather than the non-violent crime video

Question 8

Disadvantage related to Swedish robberies?

Answer 8

110 people were victims or bystanders

Victims had most accurate memory despite most anxiety

Question 9

Disadvantage related to high/low anxiety/surprise experiment?

Answer 9

Thief carried scissors, wallet, handgun, chicken into salon

Recall was worse for high surprise conditions

Question 10

• related to ecological validity

Answer 10

Participants were waiting outside of a laboratory so may have expected something to occur and have been prepared, affecting accuracy of judgement
Reduces ecological validity

Question 11

• related to ethics

Answer 11

Psychological harm
Could have thought there was a serious incident like murder
Trauma and extreme distress