Yuille and cutshall (1986)

aim

to investigate the accuracy of one’s ability to recall a real crime by eyewitness, with the use of leading questions

sample

13 eye witnesses to a robbery of a gun shop aged 15-32

procedure

• interviewed 4-5 months after the accident

• asked to recount their story and then asked questions

• asked questions about details that were not real using “a“ or “the“: broken headlight, yellow panel

• asked to rate the stress of the incident out of 7

results

• researches received more details than the police

• leading questions had little impact as 10/13 said no to the broken headlight or yellow panel

• recalled large numbers of correct details

strengths

• naturally occurring situation not manipulated by investigators, more reliable

• scoring system provided qualitative and quantitative data

limitations

• hard to generalise findings due to specificity of the case

• only 13 participants