Eyewitness Identification

What is the primary motivation for studying Eyewitness Identification (EWID) in psychology?

To understand how human perception and memory impact the accuracy of criminal investigations, given its major influence on legal outcomes.

According to Innocence Project data (1989-2020), what role did EWID play in DNA exonerations?

Out of 375 DNA exonerations, approximately 69% involved mistaken eyewitness identification, highlighting it as a leading cause of wrongful convictions.

Distinguish between Estimator Variables and System Variables in EWID.

Estimator variables are factors outside the legal system's control (e.g., lighting, distance, cross-racial ID); System variables are factors the justice system can control (e.g., lineup instructions and administrator behavior).

What is "Cross-Racial Identification" as an estimator variable?

A phenomenon where individuals are statistically less accurate at identifying perpetrators of a different race than those of their own race.

Describe the "Post-Identification Feedback Paradigm" and its effect on witness confidence.

When a witness receives positive feedback (e.g., "Good, you identified the suspect"), their retrospective confidence in their view, detail-recognition, and ease of ID increases significantly, even if they are wrong.

What was the core finding of Elizabeth Loftus’s 1974 "Misinformation Effect" study?

Memory is malleable; by casually mentioning a "yield" sign to someone who saw a "stop" sign, researchers lowered recognition accuracy from 75% to 41%, proving misinformation can be integrated into a reconstructed memory.

How does "Memory Reconstruction" differ from a video recording?

Memory is not a static playback; it is an active process where information from multiple sources (the event, leading questions, news) is integrated into a new, potentially false narrative.

What are "Rich False Memories" and what are some examples from research?

Detailed memories of events that never happened; researchers have successfully induced false memories of being lost in a mall, being bitten by a dog, or taking a hot air balloon ride.

Why is a "Double-Blind" lineup recommended for legal reform?

It ensures that the administrator does not know who the suspect is, preventing them from giving unintentional verbal or non-verbal cues that might influence the witness.

What is the recommended protocol for documenting witness confidence?

Confidence should be documented immediately at the time of the identification to prevent "confidence inflation" caused by later feedback or discussion.

Why is standardized witness instruction a critical "System Variable"?

Standardized instructions (e.g., "The perpetrator may or may not be in this lineup") reduce the pressure on a witness to pick someone even if the criminal is absent.

Why is videotaping the EWID process considered a vital reform?

It provides an objective record of the entire identification process, allowing lawyers and juries to see if any leading questions or suggestive behaviors occurred.