Question 1

Social psychological research has revealed a __________ relation between eyewitness confidence and accuracy.

Accepted Answer

Research in social psychology has consistently shown that there is a weak relation between eyewitness confidence and accuracy. This means that an eyewitness's confidence in their memory or testimony does not strongly predict how accurate that memory or testimony actually is.

Question 2

Which of the following procedures would lead to more accurate identification in a lineup?

Accepted Answer

Presenting the suspect and foils sequentially reduces the likelihood that the witness will rely on relative judgments (i.e. which person in the lineup looks most like the culprit) and instead forces them to base their decision on their memory of the culprit's appearance alone. This leads to more accurate identifications. Option A may not be effective because the suspect may still be identified based on vocal cues or other non-visual information. Option B may actually increase the likelihood of false identifications if the suspect stands out too much from the foils. Option D can lead to false identifications due to the witness feeling pressure to identify someone in the lineup, even if their memory of the culprit is not strong.

Question 3

Joan has been seeing a therapist for several months. At one session, her therapist suggests that Joan's emotional difficulties may be due to sexual abuse as a child. Initially, Joan is unable to recall any such abuse. However, at a later session, she recalls an incident of abuse that she had suppressed for many years. Based on social-psychological research findings, Joan's claims should be __________.

Accepted Answer

While it is important to take Joan's claims seriously, false memories can occur as a result of suggestion from a therapist. Therefore, caution should be exercised in accepting Joan's recovered memories without first investigating their veracity. False memory syndrome is a controversial issue in the field of psychology, and research suggests that individuals may sometimes recall events that never actually occurred as a result of unintentional suggestion or transference processes.

Question 4

You have just read the section on recovered memories in your text. Based on your reading, what would you say to a psychotherapist who suspects that her client has repressed memories of prior sexual abuse?

Accepted Answer

The section on recovered memories in the text highlights the potential for suggestibility and the creation of false memories when therapists suggest past abuse to their clients. It is important for psychotherapists to be cautious about suggesting past abuse and to refrain from making any definitive statements without objective corroborating evidence. Instead, they should focus on creating a safe and supportive environment for their clients to explore their feelings and experiences.

Question 5

All things being equal, which of the following suspects is most likely to be falsely convicted based on lineup identifications?

Accepted Answer

Tim is most likely to be falsely convicted because the foils (the other individuals in the lineup who are not suspects) do not resemble the witnesses' descriptions. This makes Tim stand out more than he should, increasing the likelihood of a false identification.

Question 6

According to the authors of your text, there are many factors that make eyewitness testimony inaccurate. One way to make the justice system fairer might be to require __________, as is the case in other countries.

Accepted Answer

Multiple eyewitnesses can increase the accuracy of testimony by providing corroboration and reducing the impact of individual biases or errors. Some countries require multiple eyewitnesses to give testimony in court.

Question 7

You are an assistant district attorney trying to decide which suspect to try for a burglary case. Each of four eyewitnesses picked a different suspect from a photo lineup. Based on research conducted by Dunning and Stern (1994), which eyewitness would you find most credible?

Accepted Answer

Dunning and Stern (1994) found that witnesses who report a suspect's face "popping out" at them tend to be more accurate than those who use other methods, such as careful comparison or taking a long time to decide.

Question 8

You've just read Social Psychology and the Law and have been summoned for jury service. Assuming that you were assigned to the jury trying a rape case, unlike most other jurors, you would be most likely to trust the testimony of a witness who __________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of You've just read Social Psychology and the...

Question 9

__________ is a recollection of a traumatic past event that had previously been forgotten or repressed.

Accepted Answer

A recovered memory is a recollection of a traumatic event that had previously been forgotten or repressed. This phenomenon has been debated in the field of psychology, with some researchers questioning the validity of these memories due to the potential influence of suggestion or therapy techniques on the individuals experiencing them.

Question 10

What recommendation would you give police officers to prevent false identifications during lineups?

Accepted Answer

Telling witnesses that the lineup may not include the suspect can help prevent false identifications by reducing the pressure on witnesses to choose someone even if they are unsure. This approach helps manage witnesses' expectations and reduces the risk of them feeling compelled to make a selection, thereby potentially decreasing the likelihood of misidentification.

Question 11

In social psychology, __________ refer(s) to recollections of a past traumatic event that are objectively false, but that people believe really occurred.

Accepted Answer

False memory syndrome refers to the phenomenon in social psychology where people believe that they have recollections of a past traumatic event, but those recollections are objectively false. These false memories can be created through suggestive questioning, hypnosis, or other means. It is a controversial topic because some critics argue that false memory syndrome can lead to the creation of memories that never occurred and can have negative effects on individuals and families.

Question 12

When police officers perform lineups with witnesses, they should consider witnesses who are __________ and __________ to be more likely to be accurate.

Accepted Answer

Quick witnesses who are confident are more likely to accurately identify suspects in a lineup because their memory of the event is still fresh in their mind and they are not second-guessing themselves. Slow and methodical witnesses who use process of elimination may be more cautious but they are also more likely to have forgotten important details or be influenced by other factors during the lineup process.

Question 13

Keep in mind experimental research on eyewitness accuracy conducted by Dunning and Stern (1994). Now, assume that you are a juror in a robbery trial. All things being equal, of which of the following eyewitnesses should you be most confident?

Accepted Answer

Eyewitnesses who make quick, confident identifications tend to be more accurate, as found in Dunning and Stern's research.

Question 14

Julie is confident that she has correctly identified the suspect in a robbery. What should jurors conclude about the accuracy of her identification of the suspect?

Accepted Answer

Research shows that confidence is not a reliable indicator of accuracy in eyewitness testimony. Even a witness who is highly confident in their identification may be mistaken. Therefore, jurors should not automatically assume that Julie's confidence is a reliable indicator of the accuracy of her identification.

Question 15

Austin is a social psychologist working for the police department. As he advises department detectives about procedures for a police lineup, what is he LEAST likely to advise?

Accepted Answer

Austin is least likely to advise to make sure that the lineup contains a wide variety of people who look quite different from each other. This is because research shows that the best practice for a police lineup is to make sure that all the individuals in the lineup are similar in appearance to the suspect, to avoid suggesting to the witness who the suspect might be. The other three options given are all valid guidelines for a police lineup.

Question 16

Recovered memories are defined as the process __________.

Accepted Answer

Recovered memories refer to the recall of past events, such as sexual abuse, that were previously forgotten or repressed.

Question 17

Lila explains to a police officer that she identified a suspect out of a lineup by taking her time, comparing their faces, and then using the process of elimination. According to information from your text, Lila's identification __________.

Accepted Answer

Lila's method of identification, which involves taking her time, comparing faces, and using the process of elimination, is not a reliable indicator of accuracy. Research in eyewitness identification suggests that confidence in one's choice does not necessarily correlate with accuracy, and the process she described does not guarantee that her identification is correct. The process of elimination, in particular, can be influenced by numerous factors that do not directly relate to recognizing the actual perpetrator.

Question 18

With regard to recovered memories, on which point are nonscientific writers and research psychologists most likely to agree?

Accepted Answer

Both nonscientific writers and research psychologists are likely to agree that recovered memories, in the absence of other evidence, are not sufficient to prove past abuse. This is a point of consensus among experts in the field of psychology, who caution against relying solely on recovered memories as evidence of abuse due to the potential for distortion or fabrication of memories.

Question 19

According to your text, why should the police officer who conducts the lineup not know which person in the lineup is the suspect?

Accepted Answer

If the police officer conducting the lineup knows who the suspect is, they may unintentionally give hints to the witness, such as body language or tone of voice, which can influence the witness's identification. Therefore, it is important for the officer to remain neutral and not know which person in the lineup is the suspect.

Question 20

While on the witness stand at a child neglect trial, Billy was asked several leading questions by a crafty attorney. This attorney managed to get Billy to report that he had remembered seeing his mother drunk on several occasions. After the trial, Billy remained convinced that his mother was an alcoholic even though this was never true. This is an example of __________.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of the false memory syndrome, where an individual remembers events or experiences that did not actually happen. This can be caused by suggestive questioning, like what occurred in Billy's case.

Quiz 16: Social Psychology and the Law