Accuracy of eye witness test

Created by: AaronRawlings
Created on: 12-03-22 20:55

Key study: johnson and scott

Procedure
Argument in a room whilst participants are in another room. Then a man comes out with either a greasy pen or bloody knife. Pen is low anxiety. Knife is high anxiety.Participants were then asked to identify the man.

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Findings

Mean accuracy for identifying pen man was 49% but 33% for knife man.

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Anxiety has a positive effect on accuracy

Anxiety increases arousal which creates more accurate memories. Christianson and Hutinette (1993) found evidence of enhanced recall when they questioned 58 witnesses of a real bank robbery. The witnesses were either bystanders or victims. Interviews were

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Resolving the contradiction

Kenneth Deffenbacher (1983) reviewed 21 studies of anxiety on eyewitness testimony. 10 showed anxiety was good 11 showed anxiety was bad. Inverted u theory.

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Weapon focus may not be caused by anxiety

Pickel (1998) thought WP was due to surprise due to anxiety. She arranged for thieves to enter a hair salon with scissors, handgun, wallet, and chicken. Identification was least accurate in the high surprise situations rather than the high anxiety ones.

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Real life vs lab studies

Christianson and Hubinnetes' study was high in ecological validity. Lab studies in general create less anxiety which for this case would have a significant effect on the study, decreasing the accuracy of the study.

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No simple conclusions

Critics of the WFE have suggested that the violence of a crime may affect the accuracy of recall. The study of Christianson and Hubinnette concerned a real life crime. Christianson Hubinnette, Halford and Milne (2005) found that victims of violent crimes

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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Findings

Back

Mean accuracy for identifying pen man was 49% but 33% for knife man.

Card 3

Front

Anxiety has a positive effect on accuracy

Back

Card 4

Front

Resolving the contradiction

Back

Card 5

Front

Weapon focus may not be caused by anxiety

Back

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Accuracy of eye witness test