1. Ch 12: Social Psych & Law
Part 1: Apr. 19, 2012

2. Eyewitness Memory Weighted heavily in trials, but how accurate?
The case of Jennifer Thompson’s assault
Research on memory: 3 important stages
1) Acquisition
Impact of stress on memory acquisition
Social perception & the unexpected -
Impact of weapons
Impact of race - Own-race bias

3. 2) Storage: Impact of time
Loaded questions & the misinformation effect:
Loftus’ research:
What is the misinformation effect?
What is ‘source monitoring error’?

4. 3) Retrieval – Lineup format: Gary Wells’ research on lineups:
How to best construct lineups?
Similarity of lineup to witness description –
Sequential or simultaneous lineups?
Instructions to eyewitnesses?

5. Retrieval (cont.) Cognitive interview as an alternative -
How does it work?
Would it affect retrieval?
Adults vs. kids -

6. Testimony of Eyewitnesses
Confidence vs. Accuracy –
How do jurors weigh eyewitness testimony?

7. Interrogations & Confessions
Impact of social influence
Leading questions, fatigue, stress may lead to false confessions
Focus on suspect vs. larger context – may lead to FAE

8. What promotes false confessions?
Compliance
Internalization