Transcript Factors affecting EWT - Beauchamp Psychology

Factors affecting
EWT
Age
Starter activity
Think and make notes in pairs about the
following two questions:
O How do you think “Age” may affect the
accuracy of eyewitness testimony.
O What age group in particular do you think we
will look at in particular when considering
the recall accuracy in EWT?
Learning objectives
O To consider research into the role of age as
a factor of influencing the accuracy of EWT.
(AO1)
O To critically assess this research including
the “the own age bias” theory of age as a
factor that influences EWT. (AO2)
Age differences in accuracy
O Using the worksheet labelled “Factors affecting EWT”:
1.
Read the first page and highlight/underline important points.
2.
Using the A3 sheet handed to you, create a spider diagram
3.
4.
5.
6.
using all of the information.
When writing about Parker & carranza (1989) leave a space
as we will be going through a further critique of this study for
you to put in under this research.
For a 12 mark question, 6 of these marks will be AO1 and
you will need to know three studies for this. Therefore all of
the information on this sheet will be required for this type of
question.
You have 20 minutes to do this.
There will be a test at the end.
Factors affecting EWT quiz.
O Close all textbooks/ turn over worksheets.
O Label 1-10 on a piece of blank A4 paper.
O There will be ten questions to answer.
O This is to be done individually and in silence.
O Good luck!
1.
O All three studies look at what factor?
O (AGE!)
2.
O Why is age an important factor to consider
when looking at the accuracy of EWT?
O (more children are present in the courtroom)
3.
O ………… studied the accuracy of young (16-
33) and older (60-82) eyewitnesses and
looked at the difference of recall after a
delay.
(MEMON et AL)
4.
O These researchers demonstrate that
children’s eyewitness accounts are not as
accurate as adults.
O (PARKER + Carranza)
5.
O …………… found that young and middle aged
participants were more accurate at recall of
target faces compared to older participants.
O (ANASTASI and RHODES)
6.
O This study demonstrated that older
witnesses are not as accurate as younger
witnesses.
7.
O …………… found that all age groups were
more accurate at identifying photographs
from their own age group.
O (A & R)
8.
O This study demonstrated that age does play
a role in the accuracy of EWT, specifically
when the identification task is delayed 1
week or over.
9.
O …….. Found that during the photo
identification task, child witnesses had a
higher rate of choosing “somebody” than
adult witnesses.
10.
O Why are all these studies natural
experiments?
O (as the IV (age) varies naturally)
Quiz questions
1.
All three studies look at what factor?
2.
Why is age an important factor to consider when looking at the
accuracy of EWT?
3.
………… studied the accuracy of young (16-33) and older (60-82)
eyewitnesses and looked at the difference of recall after a delay.
4.
These researchers demonstrate that children’s eyewitness
accounts are not as accurate as adults.
5.
…………… found that young and middle aged participants were
more accurate at recall of target faces compared to older
participants.
Quiz Questions
6.
This study demonstrated that older witnesses are not as
accurate as younger witnesses.
7.
…………… found that all age groups were more accurate at
identifying photographs from their own age group.
This study demonstrated that age does play a role in the
accuracy of EWT, specifically when the identification task is
delayed 1 week or over.
9.
…….. Found that during the photo identification task, child
witnesses had a higher rate of choosing “somebody” than
adult witnesses.
10. Why are all these studies natural experiments?
8.
Evaluation of the studies:
O Parker and Carranza critique:
Yarmey (1993) used 651 adults, and asked them to recall
a young woman that they had just seen 2 minutes ago…
They found that young and middle adults were more
confident in recall than older (65+). However there was no
significant differences in accuracy.
O Memon et al (2003) critique:
Most Studies used faces of young people to recall for both
older and younger participants.
What is the issue with this?
College Participants may have superior memory for faces
in their own age group.
The Own-Age Bias
O The Own-age bias illustrates the
methodological problems with most photo
identification type of research.
O Most of these photos are college-aged
photos.
O Therefore this has huge implications on
whoever the target participant group is.
Therefore the own age- bias
says:
O People are more likely to recognise photos
of those in the same age group as
themselves.
The Own-Age bias Support
O Anastasi & Rhodes (2006)
O Used three groups 18-25, 35-45, 55-78
O Rated 24 photo (representing the 3 groups)
for attractiveness
O Then were given a recognition task from 48
photos
Findings:
O Young and middle aged participants were
significantly more accurate.
O ALL age groups were better at their own age
group.
Why??
O This research fits in with similar research
which focuses on race (own race bias)
O Brigham and Malpass (1985) explained it in
terms of the “differential experience
hypothesis”- the more contact we have with
a particular group the better our memory is
for those individuals.- what can we link this
back to?
O As we encounter more people of our own
age we become an expert at processing
their faces. (more sensitivity to specific
cues)
O Support comes from the own-race bias.
O We are better at recognising people from our
own race.
Evaluation
O Individual differences:
Research has shown that the accuracy of EWT may be
compromised by anxiety, age or misleading information but what
about.. Alcohol??
O Clifasefi et al (2006) compared mildly intoxicated Ps with sober
Ps.
O 82% of the intoxicated Ps (compared to 46%) had not noticed
that someone dressed in a gorilla suit had slowly walked
across the screen while they were watching a video of students
throwing a basketball to each other.
O This can be explained by alcohol myopia (Steele and Josephs,
1990) – the more intoxicated a person becomes, less
attention they can allocate to peripheral tasks.
O What does this show? That other factors come into play not
just age, anxiety and misleading information.
Further evaluation
O As all these studies are natural experiments
as age varies naturally, we cannot say that
this is cause and effect.
 However, despite there being controversy as
to what age effects the accuracy of EWT
there does appear to be supportive evidence
to suggest there is a relationship between
age and accuracy of recall as shown by the
own age bias.
Essay plan
O Using the essay plan provided which outlines
O
O
O
O
how you should answer the 12 mark question:
Bullet point what you will write about for each
box.
You can use your notes.
You have 15 minutes to do this.
After the 15 minutes you will be answering this
question in timed silent exam conditions so
make sure you write enough!
Exam question (6 marks)
O Describe what research has shown about
the effect of the age of witnesses on the
accuracy of eyewitness testimony. (6 marks)
O January 2010 exam paper.