1. The document discusses how anxiety can impact the accuracy of eyewitness testimony (EWT). It considers research showing that anxiety experienced during an event can influence a witness's perception and memory of what occurred.
2. The document outlines factors that can cause anxiety for eyewitnesses, such as threats to personal safety or giving stressful testimony. It also discusses the "weapons focus effect" where the presence of a weapon draws a witness's focus in a way that makes their testimony less reliable.
3. The document reviews studies that have examined the relationship between anxiety and EWT accuracy, including experiments by Peters (1988) and Yullie and Cutshall (1986). It introduces the Yerkes-Dodson Law
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
How to be an Effective Expert Witness: a guide for forensic psychiatrists and...Andrew Carroll
An evidence-based outline of how to both deliver effective mental health evidence for the courts and sustain your own career as an expert. In this hour-long presentation I draw on my 25 years of experience as a forensic psychiatrist and on relevant literature to summarise the key elements of effective and sustainable forensic practice.
6 panic, anxiety, obsessions, and their disorderslearning ob.docxsleeperharwell
6 panic, anxiety, obsessions, and their disorders
learning objectives 6
· 6.1 What are the essential features of anxiety disorders?
· 6.2 Describe the clinical features of specific and social phobias.
· 6.3 Why do anxiety disorders develop?
· 6.4 What are the clinical features of panic disorder?
· 6.5 What factors are implicated in the development of panic disorder?
· 6.6 Describe the clinical aspects of generalized anxiety disorder.
· 6.7 How are anxiety disorders treated?
· 6.8 What are the clinical features of obsessive-compulsive disorder and how is this disorder treated?
· 6.9 Describe three obsessive-compulsive related disorders.
Leni: Worried About Worrying So Much Leni is a 24-year-old graduate student. Although she is doing exceptionally well in her program, for the past year she has worried constantly that she will fail and be thrown out. When her fellow students and professors try to reassure her, Leni worries that they are just pretending to be nice to her because she is such a weak student. Leni also worries about her mother becoming ill and about whether she is really liked by her friends. Although Leni is able to acknowledge that her fears are excessive (she has supportive friends, her mother is in good health, and, based on her grades, Leni is one of the top students in her program), she still struggles to control her worrying. Leni has difficulty sleeping, often feels nervous and on edge, and experiences a great deal of muscle tension. When her friends suggested she take a yoga class to try and relax, Leni even began to worry about that, fearing that she would be the worse student in the class. “I know it makes no sense,” she says, “But that’s how I am. I’ve always been a worrier. I even worry about worrying so much!”
Anxiety involves a general feeling of apprehension about possible future danger, and fear is an alarm reaction that occurs in response to immediate danger. Today the DSM has identified a group of disorders—known as the anxiety disorders—that share obvious symptoms of clinically significant fear or anxiety. Anxiety disorders affect approximately 25 to 29 percent of the U.S. population at some point in their lives and are the most common category of disorders for women and the second most common for men (Kessler et al., 1994; Kessler, Berglund, Delmar, et al., 2005). In any 12-month period, about 18 percent of the adult population suffers from at least one anxiety disorder (Kessler, Chiu, et al., 2005c). Anxiety disorders create enormous personal, economic, and health care problems for those affected. Some years ago several studies estimated that the anxiety disorders cost the United States somewhere between $42.3 billion and $47 billion in direct and indirect costs (about 30 percent of the nation’s total mental health bill of $148 billion in 1990; Greenberg et al., 1999; Kessler & Greenberg, 2002). The figure is no doubt even higher now. Anxiety disorders are also associated with an increased prevale.
How to be an Effective Expert Witness: a guide for forensic psychiatrists and...Andrew Carroll
An evidence-based outline of how to both deliver effective mental health evidence for the courts and sustain your own career as an expert. In this hour-long presentation I draw on my 25 years of experience as a forensic psychiatrist and on relevant literature to summarise the key elements of effective and sustainable forensic practice.
6 panic, anxiety, obsessions, and their disorderslearning ob.docxsleeperharwell
6 panic, anxiety, obsessions, and their disorders
learning objectives 6
· 6.1 What are the essential features of anxiety disorders?
· 6.2 Describe the clinical features of specific and social phobias.
· 6.3 Why do anxiety disorders develop?
· 6.4 What are the clinical features of panic disorder?
· 6.5 What factors are implicated in the development of panic disorder?
· 6.6 Describe the clinical aspects of generalized anxiety disorder.
· 6.7 How are anxiety disorders treated?
· 6.8 What are the clinical features of obsessive-compulsive disorder and how is this disorder treated?
· 6.9 Describe three obsessive-compulsive related disorders.
Leni: Worried About Worrying So Much Leni is a 24-year-old graduate student. Although she is doing exceptionally well in her program, for the past year she has worried constantly that she will fail and be thrown out. When her fellow students and professors try to reassure her, Leni worries that they are just pretending to be nice to her because she is such a weak student. Leni also worries about her mother becoming ill and about whether she is really liked by her friends. Although Leni is able to acknowledge that her fears are excessive (she has supportive friends, her mother is in good health, and, based on her grades, Leni is one of the top students in her program), she still struggles to control her worrying. Leni has difficulty sleeping, often feels nervous and on edge, and experiences a great deal of muscle tension. When her friends suggested she take a yoga class to try and relax, Leni even began to worry about that, fearing that she would be the worse student in the class. “I know it makes no sense,” she says, “But that’s how I am. I’ve always been a worrier. I even worry about worrying so much!”
Anxiety involves a general feeling of apprehension about possible future danger, and fear is an alarm reaction that occurs in response to immediate danger. Today the DSM has identified a group of disorders—known as the anxiety disorders—that share obvious symptoms of clinically significant fear or anxiety. Anxiety disorders affect approximately 25 to 29 percent of the U.S. population at some point in their lives and are the most common category of disorders for women and the second most common for men (Kessler et al., 1994; Kessler, Berglund, Delmar, et al., 2005). In any 12-month period, about 18 percent of the adult population suffers from at least one anxiety disorder (Kessler, Chiu, et al., 2005c). Anxiety disorders create enormous personal, economic, and health care problems for those affected. Some years ago several studies estimated that the anxiety disorders cost the United States somewhere between $42.3 billion and $47 billion in direct and indirect costs (about 30 percent of the nation’s total mental health bill of $148 billion in 1990; Greenberg et al., 1999; Kessler & Greenberg, 2002). The figure is no doubt even higher now. Anxiety disorders are also associated with an increased prevale.
1. Monday 12th November 2012
Eye Witness Testimony
L/O: (EWT)of anxiety on the
To consider the impact
accuracy of EWT.
Starter
In pairs,
Verbally – recap Loftus and Palmer experiments.
Share and write down – two key evaluative points.
2. The exam specification states:
Memory in every day life
Eye Witness Testimony.
Factors affecting accuracy of EWT. Including:
1. Misleading information (Loftus and Palmer, 1974)
2. Anxiety
3. Age of witness
3. L/O: To consider the impact of anxiety on the
accuracy of EWT.
What is anxiety?
In what ways can it affect people’s lives? Yours? (if you do not mind
sharing).
Anxiety is:
• a normal feeling to experience occasionally.
• a sense of unease and worry.
• The body’s way of telling us something is not right.
Clinical anxiety / anxiety as a mental health ‘problem’ involves a
much more regular or constant presence of anxiety which can be
disproportionate to the situation.
4. L/O: To consider the impact of anxiety on the
accuracy of EWT.
Relation to EWT? Discuss.
Consider:
• What do people need to have seen/heard to be an
eyewitness?
• What do they need to do with that information?
Could this affect memory accuracy? How?
5. L/O: To consider the impact of anxiety on the
accuracy of EWT.
Anxiety and EWT
1. Threat to personal safety in ‘the event’.
2. Giving evidence is a pressured, serious
situation.
3. ‘Weapons-focus effect’ – what could this be
about?
6. L/O: To consider the impact of anxiety on the
accuracy of EWT.
The weapons-focus effect
• Many studies show that weapon presence can
increase anxiety.
Why? Why does it matter?
• Focuses perception in only certain aspects.
• Influences what the witness ‘sees’ or ‘does not’.
• Novelty?
= less reliable witness.
7. L/O: To consider the impact of anxiety on the
accuracy of EWT.
• What is the Yerkes-Dodson Law?
• Page 80.
8. L/O: To consider the impact of anxiety on the
accuracy of EWT.
Related research (AO2)
Laboratory experiment
Peters (1988)
Natural experiment
Yullie & Cutshall (1986)
Yerkes-Dodson Law
9. L/O: To consider the impact of anxiety on the
accuracy of EWT.
TASK
Plan an answer to the following question:
Explain how anxiety might affect eye-witness
testimony. Refer to Psychological research in
your answer. (6 marks)
10. Explain how anxiety might affect eye-witness
testimony. Refer to Psychological research in your
answer. (6 marks)
AO1.
Anxiety is… The nature of being an eye-witness means that…
Both being a witness and giving testimony after= anxiety inducing.
Link to memory perception, neglect and retrieval.
AO2.
1. Peters (1988) lab study, maybe mention ‘many studies’ have
found the weapons-focus effect.
2. Yullie and Cutshall (1986) natural experiment.
3. Yerkes Dodson Law.
AO1 = 3 marks AO2 = 3 marks
11. Explain how anxiety might affect eye-witness
testimony. Refer to Psychological research in your
answer. (6 marks)
People who are eye-witnesses are in anxiety-
provoking situations; at the time of the ‘event’
perception can be hindered by anxiety due to
shock or neglect and afterwards, when
recalling the details, eye-witnesses may
experience retrieval difficulties. 3 marks.