False Memory Eyewitness Testimony Essay - 1590 Words

False Memory and Eyewitness Testimony PSY363 False Memory and Eyewitness Testimony A false memory is simply a memory that did not occur. An actual experience can become distorted as best illustrated by the Cog Lab experiment on false memories accessed through Argosy University. The experiment is outlined as follows: a participant is given a list of words that are highly relative in nature at a rate of about one word every 2 seconds. At the finish of the given list, the participant is then shown a list of words in which he or she is to recall the words from the original list. A special distractor is inserted to the list, and this word, although highly relative in nature, was not in the original list. For example, the†¦show more content†¦Years later, DNA evidence exonerated him and he was set free (Rankin, 2011). What about the execution of Troy Anthony Davis? The State of Georgia executed him in 2011 for killing a cop although they had no physical evidence that linked him to the crime, but they had eyewitness testimony. When addressing the s lain officer’s family, he said he was sorry for their loss, but it was not him that took their family member’s life, implored them to seek the truth, and asked for God to have mercy on his executioners’ souls. Since his execution, 7 out of the 9 eyewitness have recanted or changed their testimony. This is an outrage in and of itself and a black eye to our justice system (Troy Anthony Davis executed in Georgia after appeals exhausted, 2011). The bank robbery occurred in Slidell, LA., where the population is 76% white. It is very possible that if the perpetrators were of any other race than white, there would be difficulty in identification (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). Studies show that witnesses are more apt to correctly identify their own race than any other (Rankin, 2011). In this case, both of the perpetrators brandished weapons, even holding them out. According to studies, such as one conducted at University of Louisiana at Lafayette, when a weapon is bra ndished during the commission of a crime, the weapon effect occurs. This is the state of witnesses or victims being so intently focused on the weapon that it impairs the memory ofShow MoreRelatedFalse Memory Essay609 Words   |  3 PagesFalse Memory Cognitive Psychology In false memory experiments, special distractors are variables that are included in a list of the experiment intending to distract the participant. In the false memory experiments there is usually a related distractor and an unrelated distractor (Arnold 2002). The subject is presented with a list of words , directly after the list disappears the subject is shown another list containing original words, related distractor words, and unrelated distractor words;Read MoreEyewitness Testimony Essay1166 Words   |  5 Pages The Accuracy of Eyewitness Testimony is a major topic in our society. Eyewitness Testimony is often used during crime scene investigations. Although a Testimony by a bystander or a victim regarding an incident is a great tool for further investigation, testimonies are often times false and can lead to false accusations. The research question, how accurate is eyewitness testimony, will be studied. The purpose for this project is to determine the accuracy of eyewitness testimony. The hypothesis, HighRead MoreEssay on Eyewitness Error1177 Words   |  5 PagesMemory is a cognitive function of the brain that is often taken for granted. Memory may have many purposes, but most importantly it is essentially a record of an entire life span. From this perspective memory is the most important aspect of consciousness. Unfortunately, through formal experimentation it has been shown that memory is fairly inaccurate, inconsistent, and often influenced by our own experiences as well as the bias of others. Memory is not only affected during an observed event, butRead MoreUnreliability Of Eyewitness Testimony1383 Words   |  6 PagesUnreliability of Eyewitness Testimony, as a Result of Leading Questions Eyewitness testimony is a legal term that refers to an account given by individuals of an event they have witnessed. Juries tend to pay close attention to eyewitness testimony and generally find it a reliable source of information. However, research into this area has found that eyewitness testimony can be affected by many psychological factors. Loftus and Palmer (1974) Psychologist Elizabeth Loftus conducted a study inRead MoreEyewitness Testimony And Evidence Testimony Essay1082 Words   |  5 Pagestimes the innocent is judged guilty. Eyewitness testimony gives details about what happened, identification of perpetrators. Eyewitness can be the central focus of the whole investigation, and is also heavily focused on and powerful in the courtroom. Hence, eyewitness testimony is largely one of the reasons as to why innocent individuals are thrown in prison. Although generally without a doubt, eyewitness testimony is helpful to the court and investigation, but memory alone is not always reliable. ThatRead MoreFalse Witness Credibility : Mistaken Eyewitness Identification1231 Words   |  5 PagesDec. 2016 Research Project for False Witness Credibility: Mistaken Eyewitness Identification On May 3, 1982, in Norfolk, Virginia at circuit court, 29-year old Julius Earl Ruffin was convicted of a rape he did not commit and was sentenced to five life sentences in prison. The case rested on Ann Meng, the victim who accused Ruffin as her assailant. Mistaken eyewitness identifications contributed to more than 75 percent of the more than 200 wrongful convictions in false witness credibility, as statedRead MoreEyewitness Testimony Essay1299 Words   |  6 Pagespeople think things happened that never truly happened. Eyewitness testimony has always played an important role as evidence in the courts system. Juries on a trial tend to believe eyewitness testimony over any other evidence, even if other evidence differs from the eyewitness testimony. When little other evidence is presented, eyewitness testimony tends to be the primary focus. Many wrongful convictions have occurred due to these false eyewitness statements. According to George Vallas, in â€Å"A surveyRead MoreReli ability of the Human Memory1339 Words   |  5 PagesReliability of the human memory in eyewitness memory In this essay it will be argued how the human memory for recalling details of past events is not reliably accurate and that it will be interpreted through the reliability of memory in eyewitness memory and testimony. The human memory is a complex finding in the cognitive research of psychology, which can be explained by many different contributing factors but eyewitness is dependent upon the accuracy of long-term memory. However, research evidenceRead MoreAccuracy of Eyewitness Testimony1815 Words   |  7 Pages(The Justice Project).† Eyewitness testimony is highly relied on by judges, but it can not always be trusted. Approximately 48% of wrong convictions are because of mistaken identity by eyewitnesses (The Psychology of Eyewitness Testimony). After we discovered this information, we became curious as to whether in a testimony, the eyewitness’ memory is more reliable after a short period of time or after a longer period of time? According to previous experiments, eyewitness testimony is unreliable. LikelyRead MoreFalse Memories : Using The Deese / Roedinger1262 Words   |  6 Pagesdifferent kinds of memories. From short term memory to long term memory, people’s every da y routines are heavily influenced by the memories they possess. Remember the time in elementary school when you peed your pants, or the time in high school when you got to kiss your crush, or how about that time you saw your favorite celebrity star in the mall? What if these memories were not actually real? Are they memories or are they made up stories? Mendez and Fras (2011) suggest that false memories are just recollections