Eyewitness Testimony and Memory Biases
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Questions and Answers

What is one of the significant risks associated with eyewitness testimony?

  • Memories can be influenced by various factors after an event. (correct)
  • Eyewitness testimony is always reliable in legal contexts.
  • Eyewitnesses can perfectly recall all details.
  • Eyewitnesses may intentionally lie under oath.

    • Which phase is crucial in the process of eyewitness testimony?

  • The final courtroom interrogation by a lawyer.
  • The interactions and interviews following the event. (correct)
  • The memory of the event before entering the courtroom.
  • The moment-specific experience of the crime alone.

    • How can eyewitness errors impede justice?

  • By providing exact accounts of events.
  • By ensuring all testimonies are recorded accurately.
  • By reinforcing community trust in police.
  • By leading to wrongful convictions based on inaccurate memories. (correct)

    • What type of errors can occur in human memory according to the content?

    <p>Individuals can create entire false memories of events.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What factor contributes to the compelling nature of eyewitness testimony?

    <p>People are resistant to questioning its validity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What part of the eyewitness testimony process can influence memory the most post-event?

    <p>Public discussions about the event.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common misconception about eyewitness capabilities?

    <p>Eyewitnesses can never be mistaken.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the complexity of eyewitness testimony highlight about human memory?

    <p>Human memory is prone to biases and inaccuracies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary concern regarding eyewitness testimony in court?

    <p>Its accuracy can be questionable.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of DNA exoneration cases have been attributed to faulty eyewitness testimony?

    <p>75%</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What phenomenon describes the contamination of a witness's memory by misleading information after witnessing an event?

    <p>Misinformation effect</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the study involving a red car and a yield sign, what was the misleading question asked to the subjects?

    <p>How fast was the car traveling when it passed the yield sign?</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which group has been found to be most susceptible to misinformation effects?

    <p>Children and older adults</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What factor can increase the likelihood of misinformation effects in witnesses?

    <p>Discussions with other witnesses</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the outcome for Ronald Cotton after being wrongly identified as a rapist?

    <p>He was exonerated after 10 years.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What has psychological science suggested might help reduce eyewitness errors?

    <p>Use clearer questioning techniques</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did subjects' accuracy change when they had discussed details with co-witnesses?

    <p>Their accuracy was highly dependent on previous discussion.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage accuracy was observed when subjects discussed items with co-witnesses?

    <p>34%</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect can lead to different memories being recalled among co-witnesses?

    <p>Different perspectives of the same event</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following was demonstrated in the study where subjects wore different polarized glasses?

    <p>Witnesses can see the same event differently.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is typically used in most jurisdictions for conducting lineups?

    <p>Photo spreads of individuals</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following factors is NOT likely to influence eyewitness identification errors?

    <p>Witness age</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of memory can be particularly vulnerable to contamination?

    <p>Eyewitness memory</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary challenge regarding memory errors after they occur?

    <p>They can be very hard to unmake.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What common practice among witnesses can contribute to inaccurate recall of events?

    <p>Discussing the event with other witnesses</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the phenomenon when a person cannot recall a name that is 'on the tip of their tongue'?

    <p>Tip-of-the-tongue effect</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one important recommendation for conducting fair lineups?

    <p>Using a diverse set of individuals for foils</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes a 'target absent lineup'?

    <p>The lineup contains known innocent individuals only.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a technique suggested to improve lineup accuracy?

    <p>Sequential presentation of lineup members</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can be a potential consequence of memory biases in eyewitness testimonies?

    <p>Incorrect recollection of events</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the primary reasons why eyewitnesses may struggle with identifying perpetrators from different races?

    <p>Cross-race effect</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of memories are particularly susceptible to errors due to people's expectations and beliefs?

    <p>Schematic memories</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How can investigators enhance the quality of lineups?

    <p>Ensuring similarities among lineup members</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an observable effect of poor viewing conditions during the crime?

    <p>Higher likelihood of mistaken identifications</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of expert witness testimony provided to jury members in relation to eyewitness memory?

    <p>To inform jurors about the limitations and errors associated with eyewitness testimony</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which recommendation pertains specifically to the legal procedures involving eyewitnesses?

    <p>Properly constructing and conducting lineups</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is meant by the term 'misinformation effect'?

    <p>A memory error caused by exposure to incorrect information after an event</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In what way does the concept of 'false memories' relate to eyewitness testimony?

    <p>They can lead to jurors confidently affirming incorrect identifications</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a potential issue with the use of 'show-ups' in eyewitness identification?

    <p>They place undue pressure on the eyewitness to make a quick decision</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the term 'schema' in memory psychology?

    <p>A structured memory system based on repetitive exposure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the legal system often overvalue eyewitness testimony?

    <p>By placing too much emphasis on witness confidence rather than accuracy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role do 'foils' play in an eyewitness lineup?

    <p>They are individuals included to support identification accuracy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are schemata in relation to memory systems?

    <p>Memory templates that help organize information.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary reason why individuals tend to remember schema-consistent information?

    <p>Their memory systems are designed to exploit redundancies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of memory errors are categorized as false memories?

    <p>Inaccurate recollections of events that never happened.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How can false memories be induced during therapy sessions?

    <p>By suggesting misleading information or events.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In Loftus and Pickrell's study, what was the false event introduced to the subjects?

    <p>Being lost in a shopping mall.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect can false memories have on a person’s behavior?

    <p>They can create aversions to certain foods or activities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one major issue with eyewitness testimony in the legal system?

    <p>It can be influenced by leading questions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How can leading questions impact eyewitness memory?

    <p>They can distort the original memory.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What methodology was used to introduce the false memory of Bugs Bunny meeting at Disneyland?

    <p>Participants were asked to review fake advertisements.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is it difficult to distinguish false memories from true memories after implantation?

    <p>They are encoded in the brain alongside real memories.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What technique was used to create false memories regarding unpleasant experiences with food?

    <p>A computerized analysis of questionnaire answers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can result from discussing past events with co-witnesses?

    <p>The likelihood of memory distortion increases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a consequence of the development of false memories?

    <p>Potential for wrongful accusations and convictions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Eyewitness Testimony and Memory Biases

    • Eyewitness testimony, while compelling, is susceptible to errors and biases, impacting legal cases
    • Memory can misremember specific details and even nonexistent events.

    What is Eyewitness Testimony?

    • Eyewitness testimony involves a witness recalling a crime (or accident) in court.
    • It involves various steps, from witnessing to courtroom testimony. (Police interviews, descriptions to others, identifications)

    Importance of Eyewitness Testimony Research

    • Eyewitness testimony is very persuasive to juries but often inaccurate.
    • Mistaken eyewitness testimony is a significant factor in wrongful convictions, especially in a significant portion of DNA exoneration cases.

    Misinformation

    • Misinformation can corrupt memory between the event and recalling it. This is called the misinformation effect.
    • Leading questions, like "How fast was the car traveling when it passed the yield sign?", contaminate memory. Even subtle wording changes can impact memory.
    • Social interactions (co-witnesses) further corrupt memory through shared and influenced recall.
    • Different perspectives influence what is remembered.

    Identifying Perpetrators

    • Eyewitnesses identify perpetrators from photo spreads (mugshots) or line-ups.
    • Lineups can contain mistakes. Identification errors occur due to poor conditions, viewing time, delay, and race bias.
    • Effective lineups have carefully selected foils/innocent people, and double-blind procedures.

    Kinds of Memory Biases

    • Memory is fallible. People often misremember or forget events (example: misplacing keys).
    • "Tip-of-the-tongue" describes the feeling of knowing a word but not being able to recall it.
    • Schemas (templates) are used for efficiency, but can result in generic memories.

    False Memories

    • False memories can be inadvertently induced.
    • Therapy sessions are one example, where a patient is coached into remembering an event that didn't happen.
    • False memories can be created in research, such as the mall incident and other scenarios.
    • Subsequent memories can modify existing memories, with new information. Subsequent studies use various methods to produce false memories
    • Distinguishing them from genuine memories can be challenging.

    Conclusion

    • Eyewitness testimony is persuasive despite potential inaccuracies.
    • Improvement of procedures can reduce errors in lineups, witness questioning, and jury education.

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    Description

    This quiz explores the complexities of eyewitness testimony and the memory biases that can distort perceptions of events. It delves into the impact of misinformation and its significant role in the legal system, particularly regarding wrongful convictions. Test your knowledge on how memory works and the implications of eyewitness accounts in courtroom settings.

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