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Discussion: Memory and eyewitness testimony
Discussion: Memory and eyewitness testimony
Eyewitness memory is a person’s episodic memory for a crime or other dramatic event that he or she has witnessed.[1] Eyewitness testimony is often relied upon in the judicial system. It can also refer to an individual’s memory for a face, where they are required to remember the face of their perpetrator, for example.[2] However, the accuracy of eyewitness memories is sometimes questioned because there are many factors that can act during encoding and retrieval of the witnessed event which may adversely affect the creation and maintenance of the memory for the event. Experts have found evidence to suggest that eyewitness memory is fallible.[1]
It has long been speculated that mistaken eyewitness identification plays a major role in the wrongful conviction of innocent individuals. A growing body of research now supports this speculation, indicating that mistaken eyewitness identification is responsible for more convictions of the innocent than all other factors combined.[3][4][5] This may be due to the fact that details of unpleasant emotional events are recalled poorly compared to neutral events. States of high emotional arousal, which occur during a stressful or traumatic event, lead to less efficient memory processing.[6] The Innocence Project determined that 75% of the 239 DNA exoneration cases had occurred due to inaccurate eyewitness testimony. It is important to inform the public about the flawed nature of eyewitness memory and the difficulties relating to its use in the criminal justice system so that eyewitness accounts are not viewed as the absolute truth.
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Details:
Using the GCU library, search for two peer-reviewed journal articles on eyewitness testimony using the search term “memory and eyewitness testimony.” Read the articles, then in 750-1,000 words, do the following:
- Briefly summarize the findings from each article.
- Based upon the information read, discuss if eyewitness testimony is reliable or unreliable.
Connect your research to a memory theory discussed in Chapter 7 of your textbook.
When writing in APA style, it is important that your analysis is written in third person. Writing in third person, using support from the article to support your position, helps with clarity and conciseness throughout your paper.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center
Chapter 7 in my textbook is on the subject “Memory”
References
Hutchison, M. (2015). ‘Accurate to the Point of Mania’: Eyewitness Testimony and Memory Making in Australia’s Official Paintings of the First World War. Australian Historical Studies, 46(1), 27-44. doi:10.1080/1031461X.2014.996574
Maras, K., & Bowler, D. (2014). Eyewitness Testimony in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review. Journal Of Autism & Developmental Disorders, 44(11), 2682-2697. doi:10.1007/s10803-012-1502-3