Question 1

Theorists argue that eyewitnesses may try to resolve the discomfort that comes with the risk of being wrong by convincing themselves that they are positively certain about the identification. Thus they relieve their:

Accepted Answer

This phenomenon is described by the theory of cognitive dissonance, which suggests that individuals experience discomfort when holding two or more conflicting cognitions and thus are motivated to reduce the dissonance, in this case, by increasing their certainty about their identification.

Question 2

To date, what have the courts said about the use of expert testimony as they relate to the use of eyewitnesses in trial? Do you think these positions will change? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of To date, what have the courts said...

Question 3

The primary reason that judges in Canada have continued to deny expert testimony on eyewitness identification is that:

Accepted Answer

Judges in Canada have often denied expert testimony on eyewitness identification because they believe that jurors are already capable of understanding and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of eyewitness identifications without the need for expert input. This perspective suggests a trust in the common sense and reasoning abilities of the jury members.

Question 4

When the eyewitness is a child, the accuracy of information he or she can provide from a lineup or photograph spread is:

Accepted Answer

The answer of When the eyewitness is a child, the...

Question 5

The two most common methods of selecting lineup members are _____ and _____.

Accepted Answer

The two most common methods of selecting lineup members are similarity-to-suspect and description-matched. These methods ensure that the lineup is fair and does not unduly influence the witness's identification.

Question 6

Which is NOT one of the eyewitness guidelines recommended in 2001 in the Sophonow Inquiry?

Accepted Answer

The Sophonow Inquiry recommended against the use of simultaneous lineups, favoring sequential lineups instead, as they are believed to reduce misidentification.

Question 7

The tendency for biased responses to distort the memory of eyewitnesses is known as:

Accepted Answer

The post-identification feedback effect refers to the phenomenon where feedback given to eyewitnesses after they have made an identification can influence their memory of the event. Positive feedback tends to increase their confidence in their identification, even if it was incorrect, thereby distorting their memory of the eyewitness event.

Question 8

Which is NOT one of the benefits of a cognitive interview?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive interviews focus on enhancing memory recall without leading or suggesting details to the witness, contrary to what option B suggests. The technique aims to minimize suggestibility, not develop it.

Question 9

Experts refer to the phenomenon of recalling only some aspects of a scene, which causes one to omit other aspects of that same scene, as:

Accepted Answer

Retrieval inhibition is the phenomenon where recalling certain aspects of a scene or event can inhibit the recall of other aspects. This occurs because the act of remembering selectively strengthens certain memories while making it harder to recall others that are not focused on.

Question 10

Recommendations for improvements in eyewitness identification procedures to be used by all Canadian police agencies were developed in 2001 by:

Accepted Answer

The Sophonow Inquiry, which investigated the wrongful conviction of Thomas Sophonow, made recommendations for improvements in eyewitness identification procedures to be used by all Canadian police agencies in 2001. These recommendations aimed to prevent miscarriages of justice related to eyewitness misidentification.

Question 11

How are witness confidence and accuracy of recall related? What does the research say about these concepts?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How are witness confidence and accuracy of...

Question 12

Researchers report that when mock witnesses were asked the estimated speed of two cars involved in an accident, responses decreased almost 16 km/h when the wording changed from _____to _____.

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is D) smashed; contacted. This is based on the famous experiment by Loftus and Palmer (1974) on eyewitness testimony, where the phrasing of a question about a car accident ("How fast were the cars going when they smashed into each other?" vs. "How fast were the cars going when they contacted each other?") significantly affected the estimated speed given by participants. The use of the word "smashed" elicited higher speed estimates compared to "contacted."

Question 13

Explain the 2001 Guidelines suggested by the Sophonow Inquiry and whether they can realistically result in best practices for eyewitness accuracy.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain the 2001 Guidelines suggested by the...

Question 14

Discuss the guidelines for evaluating eyewitness testimony and ways they might be improved or updated.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Discuss the guidelines for evaluating eyewitness testimony...

Question 15

Which statement about the proper conduct of a lineup is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

The statement about there being uniformity between the U.S., Canada, and England on the use of 11 to 12 fillers is false. Different jurisdictions may have varying standards and practices regarding the number of fillers used in a lineup.

Question 16

Factors relative to a case that are out of the control of the justice system are referred to as:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Factors relative to a case that are...

Question 17

In a study of how eyewitness confidence can be manipulated, subjects were asked to identify a suspect in a murder at a Target store. Which is NOT one of the outcomes for those who were told they had chosen the right man?

Accepted Answer

Subjects who were told they had chosen the right man were not aware that their confidence had been swayed by the positive feedback; instead, they attributed their confidence to their own observational abilities and memory of the event.

Question 18

According to the text, what people generally see and remember is affected by what they expect to see. This tendency to maintain widely held beliefs about a sequence of expected behaviors is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

Scripts refer to the widely held beliefs about a sequence of expected behaviors, influencing what people generally see and remember based on their expectations.

Question 19

The reassignment of a face that is familiar from another context to the scene of a crime is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

Unconscious transference occurs when someone mistakenly places a familiar but innocent face at the scene of a crime, confusing memories of different encounters.

Question 20

What has research told us about how cross-racial identifications, stress and the presence of weapons influence eyewitness recall?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What has research told us about how...

Quiz 5: Eyewitness Identification and Testimony