Memory: Eye Witness Testimony

The effects of anxiety on eyewitness testimony accuracy

Anxiety can negatively impact the accuracy of eyewitness testimony, leading to memory distortion and increased likelihood of errors.

The effects of misleading information and post-event discussion on eyewitness testimonies

Misleading information and discussions after an event can lead to the incorporation of false details into an eyewitness's memory, compromising the reliability of their testimony.

Research that investigates the accuracy of eyewitness testimony (e.g. Loftus and Palmer)

Loftus and Palmer's research demonstrated how the wording of a question can influence a person's recall of an event, showing that eyewitness testimonies are malleable.

The four components of a cognitive interview

1. Context reinstatement

2. Report everything

3. Recall from a changed perspective

4. Recall in reverse order.

Discussion of how effective a cognitive interview technique is at improving accuracy  

The cognitive interview has been found to improve the accuracy of eyewitness testimonies by encouraging witnesses to provide more detailed and relevant information.