Eyewitness Testimony and Factors Affecting Accuracy

What is eyewitness testimony (EWT)?

• Eyewitness testimony is the evidence provided by someone who has witnessed a crime or accident.

• Eyewitness testimony is a type of forensic evidence collected at a crime scene.

• Eyewitness testimony is a legal document submitted to the court.

• Eyewitness testimony is a psychological evaluation of a witness's credibility.

What is the error rate for eyewitness testimony (EWT)?

• 0 to 5% of EWT are inaccurate.

• 5 to 30% of EWT are inaccurate.

• 30 to 50% of EWT are inaccurate.

• 50 to 70% of EWT are inaccurate.

What practical application has been derived from studies on leading questions?

• Police are trained to use the cognitive interview technique to get more valid EWT and courts are more careful with eyewitnesses.

• Police are encouraged to ignore eyewitness testimonies during investigations.

• Courts have eliminated the use of eyewitness testimonies altogether.

• Police use leading questions to enhance the accuracy of eyewitness accounts.

What did Loftus et al. (1982) study about anxiety and EWT?

• Participants focused on the weapon and had poorer memory for the suspect’s face.

• Participants had better memory for the suspect’s face when they saw a weapon.

• Participants were unaffected by the presence of a weapon in the video.

• Participants remembered the restaurant scene better than the suspect’s face.

What is the impact of leading questions on EWT?

• Leading questions can enhance the accuracy of eyewitness testimony.

• Leading questions can influence the answers a person gives, often guiding them to give a specific answer and distorting their memory of the event.

• Leading questions have no effect on eyewitness testimony.

• Leading questions are used to verify the accuracy of a person's memory.

What is post-event discussion in the context of EWT?

• A process where individuals share their memories of an event to enhance recall.

• Misleading information in post-event discussion occurs when individuals share inaccurate details about an event, influencing other people’s memories.

• A technique used to improve eyewitness testimony accuracy through group discussions.

• A method of gathering evidence from witnesses after an event has occurred.

What did Gabbert et al. (2003) study about post-event discussion?

• Participants discussed a video of a girl stealing money, and 71% recalled details they hadn’t seen.

• Participants were asked to recall the video without any discussion.

• Participants discussed a video of a girl stealing money, and 50% recalled details they hadn’t seen.

• Participants discussed a video of a girl stealing money, and 90% incorrectly said the girl was guilty.

What did Yuille and Cutshall find about anxiety and EWT in real-life situations?

• Witnesses who were most distressed during a real-life shooting gave the most accurate account five months later.

• Witnesses who were calm during the event provided the most detailed accounts.

• Anxiety had no effect on the accuracy of eyewitness testimony.

• Witnesses who were distressed had difficulty recalling any details.

What is the Yerkes-Dodson Law in relation to EWT?

• It suggests that low anxiety enhances performance, while high anxiety improves cognitive function.

• It indicates that high anxiety enhances performance, while low anxiety impairs cognitive function.

• It suggests that moderate anxiety enhances performance, while low or high anxiety impairs cognitive function.

• It states that anxiety has no effect on cognitive function.

What factors can impact EWT accuracy besides anxiety?

• Emotionally unstable personalities

• Highly educated individuals

• Individuals with strong memory recall

• People with extensive life experience