Misleading Info, Leading Qs & Post-Event Discussion (EWT Accuracy)

Define misleading information

Incorrect info given to then eyewitness usually after the event - post-event info - which may lead to the altering of the eyewitness memory of the event

Define leading questions

A question which, because of the way its phrased, suggests a certain answer

Define post event discusssion

• Occurs when there is more than one witness to an event and they discuss the event which they have witnessed

• May influence the accuracy of EW memories - discussion can contaminate original memories

What is the research support for Leading Qs?

• Loftus and Palmer showed 45 students 7 films of different traffic accidents

• Questionnaire about what they saw - one group got ‘hit’ and others got e.g. ‘smashed’

• Critical Q as a leading Q & affected Ps response

What was the explanation for the research support for leading Qs?

• response bias - memory remains unchanged, Ps just choose a different word

  • The leading Q biases their word choice

• Substitution explanation - 2nd part of Loftus & Palmer supports this

  • The info in the leading Q changes the EW’s memory of the event

What is the research support for Post-Event Discussion?

• Gabbert et al. Studied Ps in pairs - each P watched the vid of the same crime but different POVs

• Both Ps then discussed what they saw before separately completing a recall test

• Found 71% of Ps mistakenly recalled aspects of the event that was only picked up from the discussion

  • Control group (no discussion) = 0% evidence of memory conformity

What is the explanation for the research support for Post-Event Discussion?

• memory contamination = discussion between witnesses results in original memories becoming altered

  • Ps combined info from their own and others accounts

• Memory conformity = witnesses go along with each other

  • NSI/ISI - desire to fit in/ be right

  • In this case, original memory is not altered

How is real world applications a strength of misleading info on accuracy of EWT?

P: practical uses in criminal justice systems

E:

• Juries place high value on EWT - important that they know the effect of leading Qs & PED on the accuracy

• Police need to know the effect the phrasing of their Qs

T:

• clear that research has important implications for society

• Can be used to improve legal system

How is methodological issues a weakness of misleading info on accuracy of EWT?

P: practical application may be affected by methodological issues with research

E:

• lab vs real life - lacks mundane realism & eco validity

• Film clips

• No consequences - less motivation for accuracy

• Lack of stress/anxiety - demand characteristics

T: lab studies may overemphasise inaccuracy of EWT - maybe more reliable irl studies

Describe evidence to refute substitution (AO3 - limitation)

P: EWT is more accurate for some aspects if an event than for others

E:

• Ps shown a video clip and later asked misleading Qs

  • Ps recall was more accurate for central details of the event than for peripheral ones

T: suggests that original memories for central details survived and were not distorted - an outcome that is not predicted by the substitution explanation

Describe evidence to refute memory conformity (AO3 - limitation)

P: evidence that PED actually alters EWT

E:

• Ps shown 2 film clips: a mugger with light brown hair & one with dark hair

• Ps discussed different clips in pairs

• Ps blended the two e.g. so mugger now had medium brown hair

T: suggests memory itself is distorted through contamination by misleading PED - rather than the result of memory conformity