Psychology 2032A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Elizabeth Loftus, Sexual Assault, Eyewitness Memory

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 2032A/B
• Professor: John Campbell

Document Summary

Police officers may impede the interview process by: Asking short specific questions which may not get a critical information. Asking questions not relevant to what the witness is currently describing. Witnesses can be contaminated by information that may become aware of from the other witnesses. For example, if they directly communicate with each other or learn of what others reported. Occurs when a witness is provided with inaccurate information about an event after it is witnessed an incorporates the misinformation" in their later recall. Participants who are given misinformation provide different reports than those who receive no misleading information. Subtle differences in phrasing of the question (e. g, using smashed instead of hit) may bias witness" response. Leading researcher in the field of eyewitness memory. Can create false memories in anything, own childhood. Incorrect information is provided because the witness guesses what the officer or experimenter wants the response to be, replaces actual memory.