Eyewitness Identification & Memory

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Questions and Answers

What is a primary concern regarding eyewitness testimony in legal proceedings?

Eyewitness accounts are highly persuasive but often inaccurate. (correct)
Eyewitness accounts are rarely used in court due to unreliability.
Eyewitness accounts are always consistent and reliable.
Eyewitnesses are trained to observe details accurately.

What psychological factor can distort memory?

Detailed note-taking
Calm and serene environment
Repetitive questioning techniques
Stress, suggestion, or time passage (correct)

Which of the following terms relates to generalized mental representations of events, people, or situations?

Encoding
Retrieval
Scripts
Schemas (correct)

According to the Yerkes-Dodson Law, how does stress impact memory encoding?

Stress follows a U-shaped curve, where moderate stress improves encoding, but high stress impairs it. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes when a person does not notice a change in their environment?

Change blindness (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary factor jurors tend to rely on, even though it may not be a reliable indicator of truth?

Confidence (B) Signup and view all the answers

What can inflate a witness's confidence, potentially swaying jurors?

Suggestive questioning and feedback (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following can lead to distorted recall?

Misleading cues (B) Signup and view all the answers

What type of variable is under police control, such as the way a lineup is conducted?

System variable (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which term describes variables that are natural and uncontrollable, such as lighting conditions or the race of the suspect?

Estimator variables (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key factor that can pressure innocent people into confessing?

Interrogation Techniques (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a type of false confession?

Involuntary/reliable (A) Signup and view all the answers

What do profilers primarily use to narrow down suspect lists?

Behavioral clues and psychology (D) Signup and view all the answers

What do polygraphs measure?

Physiological arousal (A) Signup and view all the answers

What common bias leads to victims being blamed for their misfortune?

Belief in a just world (B) Signup and view all the answers

What effect causes jurors to have unrealistic expectations of forensic evidence?

The CSI Effect (B) Signup and view all the answers

What broad term describes mental shortcuts that jurors use during decision-making?

Heuristics (C) Signup and view all the answers

What process refers to questioning potential jurors to reveal biases?

Voir Dire (A) Signup and view all the answers

What concept describes the psychological discomfort experienced when holding conflicting beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors?

Cognitive dissonance (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for when someone consciously or unconsciously attributes memories from an original event to an incorrect subsequent event?

Unconscious Transference (A) Signup and view all the answers

What role does the Yerkes-Dodson Law play in understanding memory encoding?

It suggests that memory encoding is optimized at a moderate level of stress, following a U-shaped curve. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How do 'system variables' differ from 'estimator variables' in the context of eyewitness testimony?

System variables are controlled by the police, whereas estimator variables are uncontrollable factors. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between recall and recognition in the context of memory retrieval?

Recall involves generating information from memory, while recognition involves identifying information from a set of options. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which type of false confession occurs when a suspect genuinely believes they committed the crime, despite lacking actual evidence?

Coerced-authentic false confession (D) Signup and view all the answers

In criminal profiling, what is the role of behavioral clues?

To narrow down suspect lists by identifying likely types of offenders. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key limitation of using polygraphs in legal proceedings?

They measure physiological arousal, which is not always indicative of deception. (D) Signup and view all the answers

How does 'belief in a just world' bias impact victimology?

It can cause victims to be blamed for their misfortunes. (C) Signup and view all the answers

How do misleading cues primarily affect eyewitness recall?

By leading to distorted or altered recollections of events. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary implication of the 'other-race effect' in eyewitness testimony?

Individuals are better at recognizing faces of people from their own race compared to other races. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What role does suggestive feedback play in influencing eyewitness confidence?

It can inflate an eyewitness's confidence, even if their identification is incorrect. (B) Signup and view all the answers

How do neutral instructions impact the accuracy of lineups?

They clarify that the suspect may or may not be present, reducing false identifications. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between simultaneous and sequential lineups?

Simultaneous lineups present all suspects at once, while sequential lineups present suspects one at a time. (C) Signup and view all the answers

How do negative incentives influence false confessions?

They pressure suspects to confess falsely to escape immediate discomfort or threats. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How might 'good cop/bad cop' interrogation tactics contribute to false confessions?

By creating a coercive environment that pressures suspects into confessing. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the effect of early victimization on future legal issues?

It increases the risk of future legal issues. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'weapon focus effect' in eyewitness testimony?

Eyewitnesses remember details of the weapon but not of the person holding it. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How do heuristics generally influence jurors' decision-making?

They serve as mental shortcuts that can lead to biases and irrational judgments. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the goal of 'voir dire' in jury selection?

To reveal potential biases or conflicts of interest among potential jurors. (C) Signup and view all the answers

According to the provided information, what is the primary impact of the 'CSI effect' on jury expectations?

It leads jurors to have unrealistic expectations of forensic evidence. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How can suggestive questioning primarily influence a witness's memory?

By introducing details or interpretations that alter the witness's recollection. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Recall vs. Recognition

The ability to recall information versus identify it from options.

Schema & Scripts

Organized mental frameworks about events, people, or situations influence our perception and memory.