Question 1

Research experiments by Wells and others (1979)show that incorrect eyewitnesses are believed ________ of the time.

Accepted Answer

The research experiments by Wells and others (1979) show that incorrect eyewitnesses are believed 80% of the time.

Question 2

Which of the following statements is true about research on the use of harsh and brutal interrogation techniques?

Accepted Answer

Research has consistently shown that harsh and brutal interrogation techniques, including torture, are not effective in retrieving accurate information. In fact, these techniques often lead to false confessions and unreliable information. The use of less extreme and more strategic interrogation techniques has been found to be more effective.

Question 3

Research indicates that eyewitnesses who remember trivial details of a crime scene:

Accepted Answer

Eyewitnesses who focus on trivial details of a crime scene may do so at the expense of paying attention to more crucial aspects, such as the culprit's face. This diversion of attention can lead to a decreased ability to accurately identify the perpetrator.

Question 4

After hearing a television report falsely indicating that drugs may have contributed to a recent auto accident,several eyewitnesses of the accident begin to remember the driver as traveling at a higher speed than was actually the case.This provides an example of:

Accepted Answer

The scenario described is an example of the misinformation effect, which occurs when exposure to false information leads individuals to remember events differently than they actually occurred. In this case, the television report falsely suggested the driver may have been on drugs, leading eyewitnesses to remember the driver as traveling at a higher speed than they originally saw.

Question 5

A prosecuting attorney learns that a crucial eyewitness to a grocery store robbery correctly remembers trivial details of the crime scene.If the prosecutor hopes to convince the jury that the eyewitness is credible,research suggests that the prosecutor should:

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that being able to remember trivial details is a sign of the witness's strong encoding and retrieval processes, which can enhance the credibility of the witness. Hence, the prosecutor should make the jury aware of the witness's ability to remember trivial details to convince them that the witness's memory is reliable.

Question 6

At the University of Washington,Loftus (1979)found that eyewitnesses in a hypothetical robbery-murder case were influential:

Accepted Answer

Loftus found that eyewitnesses were still influential even when their testimony was discredited. This highlights the potential impact of eyewitness testimony on a jury or judge, despite its possible flaws.

Question 7

Morgan and his team (2004)found that when a group of soldiers were asked to identify their intimidating interrogators from a 15-person lineup,they correctly identified their high-stress interrogator ________ of the time.

Accepted Answer

Morgan and his team's study on soldiers' ability to identify their high-stress interrogators from a lineup found that the correct identification rate was only 30 percent. This highlights the challenges and limitations of eyewitness identification under stress.

Question 8

Memory researcher Loftus found in a research study that when an eyewitness who had testified against the defendant in a hypothetical robbery-murder case was discredited because of having poor vision:

Accepted Answer

Loftus's research demonstrated that even when an eyewitness's credibility is undermined, such as by revealing they have poor vision, jurors are still likely to be influenced by the eyewitness testimony, resulting in a majority still voting for conviction. This highlights the powerful impact of eyewitness testimony on jury decisions, even when its reliability is questioned.

Question 9

Of the following eyewitnesses to a crime,who would probably appear most believable to a jury?

Accepted Answer

Randy's confidence and public speaking experience as a radio announcer likely make him appear more credible and convincing to a jury compared to the other options. Confidence can significantly impact perceived believability.

Question 10

Wells and his colleagues (2006)reported that it is the ________ witnesses whom jurors find to be more credible than the others.

Accepted Answer

According to Wells and his colleagues (2006), confident witnesses are more credible to jurors than others. The study did not mention age or emotion as factors that influence witness credibility.

Question 11

The process of witnessing an event,receiving misleading information about it,and then incorporating the misleading information into one's memory of the event is referred to as the ________ effect.

Accepted Answer

The process described in the question is known as the misinformation effect. This is when exposure to misleading information can alter our memory of an event, leading us to recall information that is inaccurate or incomplete. This effect can occur when we are witnesses to an event and are subsequently given misleading information about what we saw or experienced.

Question 12

The tendency for witnesses to incorporate misleading information into their memories is especially strong when:

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that when witnesses are repeatedly asked misleading or suggestive questions, they are more likely to incorporate that information into their memories, leading to inaccuracies in their testimony. The other options (B, C, and D) are not supported by the research on memory and suggestibility.

Question 13

A prosecuting attorney is uncertain whether her eyewitness will seem credible to the jury.The eyewitness's testimony could help win a conviction,but the eyewitness might be discredited by the defense attorney.What advice should the prosecutor accept?

Accepted Answer

The answer of A prosecuting attorney is uncertain whether her...

Question 14

Research on false memories in children find that children:

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that young children often have difficulty distinguishing between real and imagined events, leading to the creation of false memories. They may also be influenced by leading questions or suggestive comments from adults, further complicating the accuracy of their memories. As a result, they may not be able to reliably separate real from false memories.

Question 15

City police found that Mr.Caldwell,an eyewitness to a murder in a local bank,correctly remembered many trivial details of the crime scene,including the specific time on the clock and the paintings on the wall.Research findings suggest that Mr.Caldwell's recall of trivial details means:

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that a focus on trivial details can indicate a lower likelihood of accurately recalling central details, such as identifying the perpetrator.

Question 16

Which of the following statements is true of eyewitness testimony?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that witness confidence is not strongly related to the accuracy of their testimony. In fact, confident witnesses are often no more accurate than less confident witnesses, and may even be less accurate when making identifications soon after the event. Additionally, paying too much attention to details can actually lead to poorer accuracy in identification, as witnesses may focus too much on unimportant details and not enough on the overall picture.

Question 17

Research on the memories of young children indicates that they:

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that young children are especially susceptible to misinformation, and can incorporate false information into their memories. This is due to their still-developing abilities to reason and differentiate between actual events and suggested ones.

Question 18

In the process known as the misinformation effect,individuals:

Accepted Answer

In the misinformation effect, individuals are given wrong information about an event and then incorporate that information into their memory of the event, leading to inaccurate recollection. This can occur in many situations, including eyewitness testimony in court. However, the individuals are not purposely giving misleading testimony, nor are they necessarily unable to remember any information following a traumatic event.

Question 19

Which of the following statements about eyewitness testimony is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. Research actually suggests that criminal cases lacking eyewitness testimony are more likely to result in acquittal.

Question 20

Jurors think that an eyewitness who can recall trivial details such as how many pictures were hanging in the room probably:

Accepted Answer

Jurors often assume that an eyewitness who remembers trivial details must have been paying better attention overall, and therefore is more reliable. However, research has shown that memory for trivial details is not necessarily correlated with memory for important details of the crime.

Quiz 15: Social Psychology in Court

Research experiments by Wells and others (1979) show that incorrect eyewitnesses are believed ________ of the time.