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What are some factors that impact the accuracy of eyewitness memory?
Attention limitations, heightened emotions, misleading information post-event, and expectations
What is the "weapon focus effect" and how does it affect memory?
The weapon focus effect refers to the phenomenon where the presence of a weapon draws attention and impairs memory for other details, such as the appearance of the perpetrator.
How does post-identification feedback influence eyewitness confidence?
Feedback after identification can alter confidence levels, with confirming feedback increasing confidence, even if the identification is incorrect.
What did the study by Loftus and Palmer (1974) demonstrate about misleading information?
The study showed that the wording of questions post-event can influence witnesses' memories, such as estimated speeds or recalling non-existent broken glass.
What is the definition of eyewitness memory?
Eyewitness memory refers to an individual’s recollection of specific details and events that they have witnessed, often used in legal contexts to identify suspects or recount details of a crime.
What is the "Gentleman Bandit" case and its significance to eyewitness memory?
The "Gentleman Bandit" case involved Father Pagano being misidentified as Ronald Clouser. This case highlights the potential for serious errors in eyewitness identification, leading to wrongful convictions.
What does the research say about the effect of stress or emotion on eyewitness memory accuracy?
Studies like Doffenbacher et al. (2004) indicate that while emotional events are generally remembered better, high anxiety can decrease the accuracy of memory, particularly for peripheral details like the appearance of a suspect or scene specifics.
Explain the "weapon focus" effect using the Pickel (1999) studies as examples.
Pickel's studies demonstrated that the presence of unexpected weapons (e.g., a gun at a baseball field) can significantly distract witnesses and reduce their ability to accurately recall other important details, like the appearance of the person holding the weapon.
How does the cross-race effect influence eyewitness accuracy?
The cross-race effect suggests that people are better at recognizing faces of their own race than those of other races. This bias can affect the accuracy of eyewitness identifications across different racial groups, as shown in studies like Shriver et al. (2008).
What is unconscious transference in eyewitness memory?
Unconscious transference occurs when witnesses mistakenly identify a familiar but innocent person as the criminal. For instance, a witness may confuse someone they saw earlier in a different context as the perpetrator of a crime.
How do lineup procedures affect eyewitness accuracy?
Lineup procedures can significantly influence eyewitness accuracy. Sequential lineups, where suspects are shown one at a time, tend to result in lower rates of incorrect identifications compared to simultaneous lineups, as suggested by Wells et al. (2015).
What is the misinformation effect as studied by Loftus & Palmer (1974)?
The misinformation effect occurs when an eyewitness’s recall of an event is altered by introducing misleading post-event information. Loftus & Palmer's study demonstrated that varying the wording of questions about a car accident (e.g., "smashed" vs. "hit") could lead to different speed estimates and false memories of seeing non-existent broken glass.
