1) Research has shown that moderate levels of anxiety can improve eyewitness testimony (EWT) accuracy by increasing focus, but too much anxiety impairs it by drawing attention away from details.
2) Loftus (1979) found that witnesses who saw a violent scene with a weapon were less accurate in identifying a person than those who saw a peaceful scene, as the weapon caused anxiety that narrowed their attention.
3) While some research supports the "weapons focus effect," other studies contradict Loftus, finding high anxiety can actually improve real-life EWT accuracy in some cases.
This lecture slide concerns the accuracy report of eye witness testimony. How accurate are eye-witness testimonials? And how can we interview witness so that their reports can be more accurate? It identifies the 'Cognitive Interview Model' which is a interview approach for increasing accuracy of reports while minimizes false information. One of the main mistake of interviewers are asking misleading questions. For instance, 'did you see the gun?' as opposed to 'did you see 'a' gun?' First part was misleading because it implies that a gun was witnessed when in fact there may not have been a gun present.
Add your comments and questions below.
Forensic Psychology view on eyewitness identification. Includes vision and memory, legal concepts and recommendations. This powerpoint is a review of the NAS report titled Identifying the Culprit
This lecture slide concerns the accuracy report of eye witness testimony. How accurate are eye-witness testimonials? And how can we interview witness so that their reports can be more accurate? It identifies the 'Cognitive Interview Model' which is a interview approach for increasing accuracy of reports while minimizes false information. One of the main mistake of interviewers are asking misleading questions. For instance, 'did you see the gun?' as opposed to 'did you see 'a' gun?' First part was misleading because it implies that a gun was witnessed when in fact there may not have been a gun present.
Add your comments and questions below.
Forensic Psychology view on eyewitness identification. Includes vision and memory, legal concepts and recommendations. This powerpoint is a review of the NAS report titled Identifying the Culprit
3. Anxiety
There is evidence to suggest that anxiety can
affect the accuracy of eyewitness
testimony...
On one hand lab studies have shown impaired
(weak) recall in people who have witnessed
anxiety-inducing situations
On the other hand research into real-life
incidents involving high stress levels show
that EWT can be detailed and long-lasting
5. Anxiety is sometimes good for EWT.
•Too much anxiety means the
individual can’t focus on detail
•Too little anxiety and the individual
isn’t concentrating enough to absorb
any detail
6. Weapons-Focus Effect
Loftus 1979 – aimed to investigate the effect
of anxiety on the accuracy of EWT.
Procedure:
In a laboratory experiment, Loftus asked
participants to wait outside a room before the
study began.
In condition 1 participants heard an amicable
discussion and a man emerged with greasy
hands holding a pen
In condition 2 participants heard a heated
discussion and a man emerged holding a knife
covered in blood
Participants were then asked to identify the man
from 50 photographs
7. Weapons-Focus Effect
Results:
Participants who has witnessed the peaceful
scene (C1) were more accurate in recognising
the man than the participants who had
witnessed the more violent scene (C2)
Conclusion:
The weapon caused anxiety which narrowed the
focus of attention – taking attention away from
the face of the man (making him harder to
identify)
Knife = central detail
Face = peripheral detail
8. Weapons-Focus Effect
Evaluation:
Can you think of any?
Laboratory experiment, so.......
High control over variables
Replication
High demand characteristics
Low ecological validity
9. Weapons-Focus Effect
Weapons-focus effect research has been
supported by other research
1. Loftus (again!)
2. Deffenbacher
However, there is research to contradict
the findings of Loftus
1. Christianson & Hubinette
10. WFE evaluation
High
control For example, the lighting &
noise levels could be
controlled
This means that all
potential Strength because
extraneous it gives the
research high
variables could be internal validity
controlled
11. WFE evaluation
Deffenbacher
et al (1983) Conducted meta-analysis and
found that higher levels of
anxiety decrease EWT
accuracy
This shows that
eyewitness Supporting the
testimony is findings of Loftus
impaired if the 1979 research
into the weapons-
person becomes
focus effect
too anxious
12. WFE evaluation
Christianson Found that of 58 witnesses
& Hubinette to bank robberies who had
been threatened in some way
had more accurate recall
than onlookers
This shows that in
real life situations
Criticising Loftus’
of EWT high levels WFE research as it
of anxiety can demonstrates that
actually improve anxiety does not
the accuracy of always decrease
recall accuracy
recall