Reliability of Eye-Witness Testimony

Overview

Eye-witness testimony refers to the accounts or descriptions given by individuals who personally observed an event, typically used in legal proceedings.
The reliability of such testimonies in courts receives significant attention within the realm of psychology, with researchers holding varying views.
Factors potentially affecting the accuracy of eye-witness testimonies include memory distortion, suggestion, stress and anxiety, and the Cross-Race Effect.

Memory Distortion

Even under the best of circumstances, human memory is fallible, and there are several ways errors can occur.
Loftus and Palmer conducted research highlighting how the language used in questioning can influence memory recall, a phenomenon known as the misinformation effect.
Confabulation, or the unintended fabrication of memories, can also cause distortion, usually due to a person trying to fill in gaps in their memory.

Suggestion

The power of suggestion also plays a role in memory distortion. A leading question or suggestion after an event can mould an individual’s memory of it.
Various studies, including the ‘Lost in the mall’ experiment, show how false memories can be implanted in individuals through suggestion.

Stress and Anxiety

Many eye-witnesses experience high levels of stress or anxiety during the event being observed. This can impact the accuracy of memory recall.
The Yerkes-Dodson law proposes that there is an optimal level of arousal for performance, and both low and high arousal levels can reduce accuracy.
However, Flashbulb memories are extremely vivid and detailed memories, usually formed in emotionally charged and shocking events, suggesting they may be more reliable.

Cross-Race Effect

The Cross-Race Effect refers to the observation that individuals are better at recognising faces of their own race compared to faces of other races.
This may lead to errors in eye-witness identification, especially in racially diverse areas.

Cognitive Interview Technique

Cognitive interview technique is a method designed to improve the reliability of eye-witness testimonies by reducing memory distortion and suggestion.
It involves techniques like mental reinstatement of original context and report everything, even if it seems irrelevant.

Throughout, revisions to the law and witnesses’ examination practices are needed to better accommodate our understanding of memory and perception effects. The use of technology and advances in forensic science are also critical when it comes to validating eye-witness testimonies.