Factors affecting eyewitness testimony

Factors affecting eyewitness testimony

1. there is a large base of evidence suggesting that misleading information can lead to EWT innaccuracy

   • Leading questions
     • Loftus - car crash study
   • Post event discussion
     • Gabbert - crime video
   • Real life application
     • raised awareness
     • Criminal justice system
     • Can't always rely on EWT
     • positive impact on people in today's society to reduce wrongful comvictions as a result of EWT
     • cognitive interview

2. Laboratory experiments

   • low ecological validity, has little resemblance to real-life
   • Artificial tasks - watch videos, doesn't reflect real-life viewing
   • Demand characteristics
     • may alter their answers to meet research aims
     • Participants in the study may behave in a particular way
   • Highly controlled experiments
   • extraneous variables controlled
     • e.g. Loftus' car crash study - critical verbs in questions
   • study can be replicated