Deck 7: Section 3: Eyewitness Identification and Testimony

Question 1

The three component processes in memory are:

A) recall, recognition, and cognition.
B) encoding, storage, and retrieval.
C) acoustic, semantic, and sensory.
D) sensation, perception, and cognition.

Answer 1

encoding, storage, and retrieval.

Question 2

Cutler, Penrod, and Dexter (1990) conducted several experiments exposing mock jurors to expert testimony about the accuracy of eyewitnesses. The authors of this study found that participants who were NOT exposed to the expert testimony:

A) underestimated the accuracy of eyewitnesses.
B) tended to side with the prosecution.
C) overestimated the accuracy of eyewitnesses.
D) tended to side with the defense.

Answer 2

overestimated the accuracy of eyewitnesses.

Question 3

According to research studies on eye witness identification that are described in the text, which of the following is FALSE?

A) People tend to overestimate the duration of a brief event.
B) It is more difficult for people to recognize the faces of others outside of their racial group.
C) High-stress conditions usually increase the rate of correct identifications.
D) Seeing the perpetrator hold a weapon impairs the witnesses' ability to recognize the assailant.

Answer 3

High-stress conditions usually increase the rate of correct identifications.

Question 4

An eyewitness identifies John as the perpetrator of a crime that he did not commit. The eyewitness saw John's picture in a local advertisement and has mistakenly replaced the face of the actual perpetrator with John's face when recalling the crime. This demonstrates:

A) unconscious transference.
B) retrieval inhibition.
C) cognitive dissonance.
D) the filler effect.

Question 5

One promising technique for improving the ability of an eyewitness to remember important information accurately is to relax the eyewitness and mentally reinstate the context surrounding the crime. This approach is known as a:

A) regulatory focus.
B) guided recognition.
C) hypernesia interview.
D) cognitive interview.

Question 6

Which one of the following Manson criteria CONTRADICTS research findings?

A) The witness's level of attention.
B) The amount of time between witnessing the crime and making the identification.
C) The degree of certainty asserted by the witness.
D) The witness's opportunity to view the perpetrator.

Question 7

When it comes to translating science into practice, there are two main obstacles outlined in the text: one is the researchers' uncertainty about how much research evidence should be accumulated before practical recommendations are made and the other one is _____ practices.

A) the resistance of law enforcement personnel to reforming their
B) the difficulty of passing legislation that would mandate changes in
C) prosecutors' misunderstanding of what research studies mean for their
D) the slow speed of translating scientific evidence into

Question 8

When eyewitnesses view a simultaneous lineup, they tend to compare people in the lineup with one another and then identify the person who most looks like their mental image of the criminal. To remedy this situation, lineups should be:

A) administered simultaneously.
B) administered sequentially.
C) video recorded.
D) preceded by expert testimony.

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT an estimator variable in eyewitness identification?

A) The gender of the witness.
B) How carefully an eyewitness observes the crime.
C) The type of questions asked by the police.
D) The race of the victim.

Question 10

To improve eyewitness accuracy, social scientists can assist the legal system in improving _____ variables.

A) dependent
B) system
C) predictor
D) estimator

Question 11

Elizabeth Loftus (1984) examined 347 cases in which _____ was eyewitness testimony and found that the defendant was _____.

A) the only evidence; acquitted in most cases
B) the only evidence missing; convicted in most cases
C) the only evidence; convicted in most cases
D) the only evidence missing; acquitted in most cases

Question 12

Research findings indicate that there are several drawbacks to using hypnosis in forensic settings. Which of the following statements about the use of hypnosis is INCORRECT?

A) People remember less but what they do recall under hypnosis is more accurate.
B) Hypnosis can elicit false memories.
C) The effects of suggestive questioning are amplified under hypnosis.
D) After hypnosis, eyewitnesses are more confident about what they remember.

Question 13

Tracy witnessed two men holding up a bank, both wearing camouflage pants. When questioned about the crime, she had a good recall for the pants and described these pants in detail to the policemen. When she was questioned about the crime a month later, she still remembered the pants but had a poor recall for other details. This phenomenon is known as:

A) decay theory.
B) retrieval inhibition.
C) unconscious transference.
D) the bystander effect.

Question 14

When an eyewitness is really confident about what he or she saw, this confidence:

A) has no effect on jurors.
B) is strongly correlated with accuracy.
C) is likely to increase over time.
D) has no effect on judges.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a system variable in eyewitness identification?

A) How a witness is questioned.
B) How lineups are administered.
C) The order of questions asked by the police.
D) The race of the victim.