Memory: Factors Affecting the Accuracy of Eyewitness Testimony | AQA A-Level Psychology

This quiz tests A-Level Psychology students' knowledge and understanding of memory - specifically, how different factors affect the accuracy of eyewitness testimony.

Click here to have a go at the quiz! Memory: Factors Affecting the Accuracy of Eyewitness Testimony

Memory is not a perfect recording device. When we witness an event, our brains store only fragments of what we see and hear. These fragments are then pieced together over time, often inaccurately, to form our memories. This reconstruction process can be influenced by a number of factors, including:

• The passage of time. The longer it takes for an eyewitness to recall an event, the less accurate their testimony is likely to be.
• Stress and emotion. Eyewitnesses who are stressed or emotional at the time of the event are more likely to make mistakes in their recall.
• Misleading information. Eyewitnesses who are exposed to misleading information after the event, such as from other witnesses or the media, are more likely to incorporate that information into their memories.
• Questioning techniques. The way that eyewitnesses are questioned can also affect the accuracy of their testimony. Leading questions, for example, can prompt eyewitnesses to provide inaccurate information.

Some of the specific factors that have been found to affect the accuracy of eyewitness testimony include:

• Weapon focus. Eyewitnesses who focus on a weapon during a crime are more likely to make mistakes in their recall of other details, such as the perpetrator's face.
• Own-race bias. Eyewitnesses are more likely to accurately identify someone of their own race than someone of a different race.
• Cross-race identification. Eyewitnesses are more likely to make mistakes when identifying someone of a different race.

These factors can have a significant impact on the outcome of criminal cases. In some cases, they have led to the wrongful conviction of innocent people.

Here are some tips for improving the accuracy of eyewitness testimony:

• Police officers should avoid using leading questions when interviewing eyewitnesses.
• Eyewitnesses should be interviewed as soon as possible after the event, while their memory is still fresh.
• Eyewitnesses should be warned about the dangers of misinformation and should be discouraged from talking to other eyewitnesses about the event before they have been interviewed by the police.

By understanding the factors that affect the accuracy of eyewitness testimony, we can help to reduce the risk of wrongful convictions.