Eyewitness Testimony: Accuracy, Reliability, and Factors Influencing Memory

Question 1

What is the term for the phenomenon where witnesses exhibit increased confidence in their testimony even when it is inaccurate?

Accepted Answer

Overconfidence effect

Answer

Hindsight bias

Answer

Confirmation bias

Answer

Weapon focus

Question 2

What is the term for the tendency of witnesses to fill in gaps in their memory with incorrect or distorted information?

Accepted Answer

Confabulation

Answer

Source monitoring error

Answer

Hindsight bias

Answer

Weapon focus

Question 3

What is memory?

Accepted Answer

The ability to encode, store, and retrieve information

Answer

The process of constructing a representation of an event

Answer

The retrieval of information from long-term storage

Answer

The reconstruction of an event using past experiences

Question 4

Which type of bias can lead us to interpret new information in a way that confirms our existing beliefs?

Accepted Answer

Confirmation bias

Answer

Hindsight bias

Answer

Availability bias

Answer

Anchoring bias

Question 5

Which interview technique is designed to minimize the influence of suggestion on eyewitness testimony?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive interview

Answer

Leading questions interview

Answer

Hypnosis interview

Answer

Confrontational interview

Question 6

What is the process of accessing information from long-term memory called?

Accepted Answer

Retrieval

Answer

Encoding

Answer

Storage

Answer

Reconstruction

Question 7

Which component of eyewitness testimony involves providing a detailed account of an event?

Accepted Answer

Report

Answer

Perception

Answer

Memory

Answer

Reconstruction

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT typically considered a key factor that can influence the accuracy and reliability of eyewitness testimony?

Accepted Answer

Intelligence

Answer

Memory

Answer

Perception

Answer

Mood and Emotion

Question 9

Research findings indicate that the accuracy of eyewitness testimony is:

Accepted Answer

Moderate and can be improved with appropriate techniques

Answer

Generally high and unaffected by external factors

Answer

Consistently low and prone to significant distortion

Answer

Completely unreliable and should not be used in legal proceedings

Question 10

Cognitive theory suggests that eyewitness memory is constructed through a process that is:

Accepted Answer

Holistic and interconnected

Answer

Linear and step-by-step

Answer

Top-down and deductive

Answer

Bottom-up and inductive

Question 11

Which of the following factors does NOT influence the accuracy of eyewitness testimony?

Accepted Answer

Education level

Answer

Memory

Answer

Perception

Answer

Bias

Question 12

Which of the following techniques is designed to enhance the reliability and completeness of eyewitness accounts?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive interviewing

Answer

Leading questions

Answer

Hypnosis

Answer

Show-ups

Question 13

Which technique is widely considered the most effective for improving the accuracy of eyewitness testimony?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive Interview

Answer

Lineups

Answer

Hypnosis

Answer

Virtual Reality

Question 14

Which type of bias is most likely to occur when the eyewitness has a personal stake in the outcome of the case?

Accepted Answer

Motivated bias

Answer

Confirmation bias

Answer

Hindsight bias

Answer

Cross-race bias

Question 15

What is a key limitation of eyewitness testimony?

Accepted Answer

It can be highly subjective and prone to error

Answer

It is often the sole evidence available in criminal cases

Answer

It is inherently more reliable than other forms of evidence

Answer

It is always accurate when the witness is confident

Question 16

How does the 'weapon focus effect' impact eyewitness testimony?

Accepted Answer

It causes witnesses to concentrate on the weapon rather than the perpetrator

Answer

It enhances witnesses' memory for the perpetrator's face

Answer

It reduces witnesses' confidence in their testimony

Answer

It has no effect on eyewitness testimony

Question 17

What is an advantage of eyewitness testimony?

Accepted Answer

It can provide vivid and detailed accounts of events

Answer

It is frequently corroborated by other evidence

Answer

It is always reliable when the witness is confident

Answer

It is unaffected by biases or expectations

Question 18

What is the primary objective of cognitive interview techniques?

Accepted Answer

To improve the accuracy and completeness of eyewitness testimony

Answer

To minimize the impact of leading questions on witnesses

Answer

To eliminate the influence of bias on eyewitness accounts

Answer

To ensure that witnesses are confident in their testimony

Question 19

According to the 'weapon focus' effect, eyewitnesses tend to remember:

Accepted Answer

The details of the weapon used in a crime.

Answer

The clothing worn by the perpetrator.

Answer

The surrounding environment.

Answer

Their own emotional state.

Question 20

Which of the following is an advantage of eyewitness testimony?

Accepted Answer

It can provide direct evidence of a crime.

Answer

It is always accurate and unbiased.

Answer

It can be easily corroborated.

Answer

It is only useful in identifying perpetrators.

Question 21

What is meant by 'memory malleability' in the context of eyewitness testimony?

Accepted Answer

The ability of memory to be altered or distorted.

Answer

The inability of memory to store accurate information.

Answer

The ease with which memory can be recalled.

Answer

The tendency of memory to fade over time.

Question 22

Which of the following is NOT a factor that can impair the accuracy of eyewitness testimony?

Accepted Answer

Memory enhancement techniques

Answer

Leading questions

Answer

Confirmation bias

Answer

Weapon focus effect

Question 23

The process by which an eyewitness reconstructs a memory after an event, filling in gaps and making inferences, is known as:

Accepted Answer

Reconstruction

Answer

Confabulation

Answer

Retrieval

Answer

Recognition

Question 24

Which of the following techniques is considered best practice for enhancing the reliability of eyewitness identification?

Accepted Answer

Double-blind lineup

Answer

Simultaneous lineup

Answer

Sequential lineup

Answer

Show-up procedure

Question 25

According to the cognitive interview technique, which type of question should be avoided when interviewing an eyewitness?

Accepted Answer

Leading questions

Answer

Narrative questions

Answer

Specific questions

Answer

Hypothetical questions

Question 26

Which cognitive bias can lead an eyewitness to overestimate the duration of an event?

Accepted Answer

Hindsight bias

Answer

Framing effect

Answer

Availability heuristic

Answer

Anchoring effect

Question 27

The process of recalling information from memory is known as:

Accepted Answer

Retrieval

Answer

Encoding

Answer

Storage

Answer

Perception

Question 28

The tendency to seek and remember information that confirms our existing beliefs and expectations is known as:

Accepted Answer

Confirmation bias

Answer

Hindsight bias

Answer

Availability heuristic

Answer

Framing effect

Question 29

According to the Cognitive Interview technique, which of the following strategies can enhance the retrieval of accurate memories from eyewitnesses?

Accepted Answer

Creating a relaxed and supportive environment

Answer

Asking leading and suggestive questions

Answer

Showing the witness a lineup of suspects immediately

Answer

Using hypnosis to access repressed memories

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT a known limitation of eyewitness testimony?

Accepted Answer

Eyewitness testimony is always perfectly accurate

Answer

Memory can be influenced by post-event information and leading questions

Answer

Witnesses can be swayed by the expectations and suggestions of others

Answer

The passage of time can impair memory retrieval

Question 31

The 'weapon focus effect' refers to the tendency of eyewitnesses to pay disproportionate attention to:

Accepted Answer

The weapon being used

Answer

The perpetrator's face

Answer

The victim's injuries

Answer

The surrounding environment

Question 32

Which research method allows researchers to simulate real-world events in controlled settings to study the accuracy of eyewitness testimony?

Accepted Answer

Experimental methods

Answer

Interviewing eyewitnesses of actual crimes

Answer

Using surveys to collect self-reported experiences

Answer

Analyzing police reports and court transcripts

Question 33

According to the Cognitive Interviewing technique, encouraging the witness to focus on specific details is recommended to:

Accepted Answer

Enhance recall

Answer

Reduce bias

Answer

Increase confidence

Answer

Minimize anxiety

Question 34

Confirmation bias is a type of bias that can influence eyewitness testimony by:

Accepted Answer

leading witnesses to seek information that confirms their existing beliefs

Answer

making witnesses more likely to misinterpret ambiguous information

Answer

causing witnesses to suppress memories that contradict their expectations

Answer

encouraging witnesses to fabricate details to support their account

Question 35

A limitation of eyewitness testimony is that it:

Accepted Answer

Can be distorted by factors such as stress, bias, and memory decay

Answer

Is always accurate and reliable

Answer

Is easily influenced by leading questions

Answer

Is only relevant in criminal cases

Question 36

The 'weapon focus' effect refers to the tendency of witnesses to:

Accepted Answer

Focus their attention on the weapon and miss other important details

Answer

Recall the details of the weapon more accurately than other aspects of the event

Answer

Be more likely to misidentify the suspect if a weapon is present

Answer

Have a reduced ability to remember the sequence of events that occurred

Question 37

Cognitive factors play a role in eyewitness testimony by:

Accepted Answer

Influencing how witnesses perceive, interpret, and remember events

Answer

Determining the absolute accuracy and reliability of eyewitness accounts

Answer

Minimizing the impact of external factors such as lighting and noise

Answer

Being irrelevant to the understanding of eyewitness psychology

Question 38

The ________ effect describes the tendency to prioritize the weapon in a crime and overlook other important details.

Accepted Answer

Weapon focus

Answer

Tunnel vision

Answer

Attentional blindness

Answer

Confirmation bias

Question 39

Which memory type is most susceptible to alteration and reconstruction?

Accepted Answer

Episodic memory

Answer

Semantic memory

Answer

Procedural memory

Answer

Implicit memory

Question 40

According to the cognitive interview technique, which of the following interviewing approaches should be avoided?

Accepted Answer

Employing leading questions

Answer

Establishing rapport

Answer

Using repeated questioning

Answer

Asking open-ended questions

Question 41

The ________ hypothesis proposes that memory is not a static record but rather an active process of reconstruction.

Accepted Answer

Reconstructive

Answer

Schema

Answer

Cognitive

Answer

Dual-coding

Question 42

The ________ technique involves presenting witnesses with suggestive questions and recording their responses.

Accepted Answer

Leading question method

Answer

Hypnotic regression

Answer

Cognitive interview

Answer

Memory retrieval therapy

Question 43

The ________ effect occurs when people tend to favor information that aligns with their existing beliefs.

Accepted Answer

Confirmation bias

Answer

Anchoring bias

Answer

Availability heuristic

Answer

Hindsight bias

Question 44

According to the cognitive interview technique, what type of questions should be avoided during an interview with a witness?

Accepted Answer

Leading questions that suggest a specific answer

Answer

Neutral questions that do not bias the witness's response

Answer

Open-ended questions that allow the witness to provide a narrative

Question 45

What is the primary purpose of a lineup procedure in eyewitness identification?

Accepted Answer

To reduce the likelihood of mistaken identification by presenting multiple suspects simultaneously

Answer

To confirm the witness's memory of the suspect

Answer

To eliminate innocent suspects from the investigation

Question 46

According to the Loftus and Palmer (1974) study, which of the following words was most likely to lead to false memories of a broken window in a car accident?

Accepted Answer

Smashed

Answer

Contacted

Answer

Bumped

Answer

Hit

Question 47

Which of the following is a technique used to improve the accuracy of eyewitness testimony in court?

Accepted Answer

Expert testimony on eyewitness memory

Answer

Sodium pentothal

Answer

Hypnosis

Answer

Truth serum

Question 48

What is the term for the gradual deterioration of eyewitness memory over time?

Accepted Answer

Fading

Answer

Decay

Answer

Amnesia

Answer

Repression

Question 49

Which of the following is a limitation of eyewitness testimony?

Accepted Answer

It can be distorted by factors such as stress, bias, and suggestion, and is not always accurate or reliable.

Answer

It is the best form of evidence in criminal cases.

Answer

It is always accurate and reliable.

Question 50

A witness to a robbery remembers seeing the perpetrator wearing a red jacket, but in reality, the jacket was blue. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Memory reconstruction

Answer

Weapon focus

Answer

Change blindness

Answer

Source monitoring error

Question 51

Which of the following is NOT a factor that can influence eyewitness accuracy?

Accepted Answer

The time of day the crime occurred

Answer

The amount of stress experienced by the witness

Answer

The presence of a weapon

Answer

The witness's emotional state

Question 52

The phenomenon where a witness's attention is drawn to a weapon at the scene of a crime, leading to a poorer memory of other details, is known as:

Accepted Answer

Weapon focus

Answer

Source monitoring error

Answer

The misinformation effect

Answer

Change blindness

Question 53

A lineup procedure where the suspect is presented alongside other individuals with similar characteristics is called:

Accepted Answer

Simultaneous lineup

Answer

Blind lineup

Answer

Double-blind lineup

Answer

Sequential lineup

Question 54

Which of the following is an example of a cognitive interview technique?

Accepted Answer

Encouraging the witness to recall the event from different perspectives

Answer

Presenting the witness with a series of photographs to identify the suspect

Answer

Using hypnosis to access repressed memories

Question 55

The confidence of an eyewitness is a reliable indicator of the accuracy of their testimony.

Accepted Answer

False

Answer

It depends on the age of the witness

Answer

It depends on the nature of the crime

Answer

True

Question 56

A study where participants are shown a video of a crime and then asked to identify the perpetrator from a lineup is an example of:

Accepted Answer

An experimental study

Answer

A correlational study

Answer

A case study

Answer

A naturalistic observation

Question 57

Which of the following is NOT a potential consequence of inaccurate eyewitness testimony?

Accepted Answer

Increased funding for police departments

Answer

Public mistrust in the justice system

Answer

Wrongful convictions

Question 58

The process of identifying and eliminating potential sources of error in eyewitness accounts is known as:

Accepted Answer

Eyewitness testimony evaluation

Answer

Cognitive interview

Answer

Memory reconstruction

Answer

Lineup procedure