Eyewitness Testimony

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Eyewitness Testimony

Numerous research studies have identified several problems with eyewitness testimony. One of the main researchers in this field is Elizabeth Loftus. Although it is known that schemas can affect the way we remember events, Elizabeth Loftus has been interested in the effects on memory of information provided after the event. Many studies were carried out that showed that memory for events can be changed or supplemented by later information. The experimental method was used, which has the advantage of the controlled environment of the laboratory, but which uses stimulus material that mimics real-life situations.

For example in one experiment conducted by Elizabeth Loftus 150 participants were first shown a film depicting a shocking even, which in this case was a car accident.  In the interval, between viewing the slides and being tested for recall, participants were spilt into two groups and asked ten questions about what they had seen.

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Group 1 were asked questions which were entirely consistent with the original film, in contrast to group 2 who were given the same questions except one which was changed to a question which conflicted with the original witnessed event.  After one week, all of the participants were asked a further ten questions, and for the final question it was a conflicting question.

Loftus found that only 2.7 per cent of the participants in group 1 gave the incorrect answer. Loftus also found that 17.3 per cent of group 2 also answered incorrect.

Therefore, Loftus concluded that for ...

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