7.17 Eyewitness Testimony and Memory Reliability

These flashcards cover key concepts related to eyewitness testimony and memory reliability based on the lecture notes.

Eyewitness Testimony

A form of evidence based on the account given by a person who witnessed an event, often considered unreliable.

DNA Exoneration

A process where DNA evidence is used to prove a convicted individual was innocent of the crime.

False Memories

Memories that people recall but which are actually distorted or fabricated.

Lineup Identification

A procedure in which a witness attempts to identify a suspect from a group of people.

Confidence Effect in Eyewitness Testimony

The phenomenon where a witness's confidence in their identification can unduly influence the jury's perception, regardless of the accuracy.

Staged Crime Experiment

An experimental setup where participants observed a simulated crime to study their memory and identification accuracy.

Error Rate in Lineup Identification

The percentage of incorrect identifications made by witnesses when asked to identify suspects from a lineup.

Source Memory

The ability to remember the origin of a memory, including where, when, and how it was acquired.

Familiarity Effects

A cognitive bias where people mistakenly identify familiar faces as having been associated with a specific event.

Ronald Cotton Case

A notable wrongful conviction case where mistaken eyewitness identification led to imprisonment.