Suggestibility and Eyewitness Misinformation - Research Proposal Example

Suggestibility and Eyewitness Misinformation: Final Paper Eyewitness account plays a major role in the modern society especially with regard to the issue of criminal justice. However, eye witness account as a source of evidence for criminal prosecution faces a number of problems. In this case, it is absolutely necessary to make sure that these problems have been faced and dealt with in the most appropriate way. In this regard, misinformation of eyewitness account is a major challenge that must be looked at, Literature Review With regard to the issue of suggestibility, there have been many studies that have been carried out in the past and which are geared towards understanding suggestibility and its effect on eyewitness misinformation. Bruck and Ceci (1999) for instance investigated the effect of suggestibility on memory recall. Their study identified that that age is a major factor that affects he levels of suggestibility in a person. They specifically investigated the effect of suggestibility in young children and identified that for young children, the younger the participant, the more it is likely to be affected by suggestibility. Although their research was not geared toward the issue of eyewitness misinformation, their findings are important because they established some foresight with regard to how age affects the levels o suggestibility of memory which is a major part of life. At the same time Gobboa, Megaa and Pipeb ( 2002) identified that there are other factors that affect the levels of suggestibility with regard to memory recall. Their study also zeroed on children memory and investigated how the nature of experience or the circumstances in which the memory was created affects the level of suggestibility when the child is trying to recall the memory. Loftus and Palmer (1974) looked at the issue of suggestibility from a different point of view. Their study investigated how the level of suggestibility can be increased for a particular parson’s by structuring the process of memory recall in a certain way. The study identified that if a person was being interviewed (interrogated), the way the lead questions are arranged can affect their level of suggestibility. Poolea and Lindsay (2002) also investigated the issue of suggestibility with regard to how the social relationship between the person being interviewed and he interviewer affects the level of suggestibility. In their research, they found that when a participant was being interviewed by a family member, their level of suggestibility increased. This was more in children than in adults. Mitchell, Johnson and Mather (2003) also carried out a study to investigate the way age affects the level of suggestibility in adults. Their study was similar to that of Bruck and Ceci (1999) and had similar results despite using different types of participants. They concluded that there was a connection between the age and the level do suggestibility. Unlike Bruck and Ceci (1999) who used children as their participants, Mitchell, Johnson and Mather (2003) used adults and found that an increase in age increased the level of suggestibility. Procedure The level of suggestibility will be measured through a predetermined truth or information. The participants will first be asked leading questions and then non-leading question to see how this affects their memory recall. To determine how age affects memory recall, each participant will be given an event to create memory for that event, such as the collection of items and their orders. They will then be needed to recall the memory of the number, type and arrangement of these pieces. To help with the process, they will be asked questions about the collection. The level of accuracy for each participant will be examined then this will be compared with their age. To determine how family relations affect the suggestibility of the participants, the above will be repeated and each and done twice. First time, the participants will be asked leading questions by a family member they are familiar with. They will then be asked the same leading question by a non-family member (stranger). The levels of accuracy with which they recall the memory will then be compared for both the situation where a family member asked the leading questions and when the non-family member asked the questions. To determine how circumstances affect the memory of the participants is affected by the circumstances/environment, the same procedures will be repeated using different environments and results compared. Participants Category one: children 17 10 female and 7 male Category 2: Adults, 25 total, 13 female and 12 male Experiment 1 : testing the effect of age on the level of suggestibility and eyewitness misinformation Participants were introduced into a room with the following items. A small couch, a small table, a small book (color blue) on the table, a toaster and a small TV. They were supposed try and remember as much of the information possible. After that, the participants were supposed to witness as the things were shifted. The table was moved from one corner to the opposite corner. The blue book was replaced with a green book. And the TV was removed. The suggestion to change the position of the couch was made, but no change was made. Each participants were given each point for each of the following; Position of the couch Position of the table Position of the book Color of the book Position of the toaster Position of the TV Where the table was moved The color of the new book Where the TV was moved Where the couch was moved The participants were supposed to remember this and give their account. Their scores were recorded (out of ten points). It was determined that for children, the younger ones were more less likely to recall all the memory about the room. For adults, the older the person, the less they are able to recall the memory. Testing the suggestibility and misinformation To test the suggestibility levels for the participants, the participants were asked leading questions. As follows; Who moved the couch? What color was the book that replaced the red book on the couch? Was there a book on the computer that was in the room? What color was the blender in the room? These questions were intended to supply the participants with new but false information. The results indicated that that the use of suggestibility affects almost all the participants with regard to the ways in which they were able to able remember the events as well as the arrangements in the room. However, younger children were more affected by the use of suggestive questions. For the adult participants, the older participants were more affected by the use of suggestive questions. To determine how the circumstances affected the suggestibility of the participants. The same experiment redone, but this time the room was filled with people. The scores were recorded and tested and compared with the earlier test. The results were replicated for the test on how age affects the levels of suggestibility. Experiment 3: testing the levels of suggestibility as affected by the relations between the participants and the parson asking the questions. The second test was repeated but this time the person asking the questions was a familiar family member to the participants. The results indicated that when the participant was questioned with suggestive questions, their levels of suggestibility increased. There was little differences identified as to how the familial relations affected the different ages of gender with regard to their level of suggestibility. Results Discussions This study revealed a number of issue with regard to the suggestibility of individual in terms of witness account. Age It was clear that age was a main factor with regard to the level of suggestibility of an individual. This was also in line with what past studies have identified. However, the past studies mostly focused suggestibility of children with regard to eyewitness memory. This study separated the participants into categories because the literature review indicated that adults are likely to be affected by suggestibility in a different way than the children. The results indicated that the levels of suggestibility may change for a person as they go through the various stages of growth and maturity. Young children of below age 5 are more likely to be affected by suggestibility and those of ages between 5 and 10. However, for adults, those of age 50 and above were more likely to be affected by suggestibility with regard to their ability to recall the various eyewitness memories. This indicates that the memory strength of an individual has a sigmoid curve, being weakest at the youngest age, becoming strongest during young and eventually getting weaker during the old age. This study also tested two other variables which included familial relationship and circumstances in which the memory was recorded and also recalled. It was found that the familial relationships between the person intending to recall the memory and the person assisting him to recall the memory is likely to affect their level of suggestibility. Still, age was also a factor here with young children and older people being affected the most with regard to the ways in which the familial relationships between the interviewee and the interviewer. With regard to the circumstances, there was indication that the circumstances and situation may also increase or reduce the level of suggestibility for a person. In this study, it was clear that the level of suggestibility for most participants was affected by the nature of environment. This was however not related to age. Given these three factors and how they affect the suggestibility of the individual, it is clear that there are a numerous factors that affect the level of suggestibility with regard to eye witness account. These findings are important in that eyewitness accounts lay a major role in the modern society. For instance, the justice system depends a lot on eyewitness accounts to a significant degree. Children for instance are necessarily being used as eyewitness sources of information and evidence in courts, especially where they are themselves are victims in a direct or an indirect way. Due to suggestibility, eyewitness accounts are likely to be less effective with regard to giving the correct information to be used as evidence in a court of law. As a result, the issue of suggestibility is not an issue that can be ignored. This study has supplied some information that is to a significant level useful to the issue of eyewitness misinformation effect. This issue of suggestibility of the eye witness account and how this can lead to the wrong conclusions in legal evidence analysis. The fact that the environment and circumstances also affect the levels of suggestibility also means that those who are concerned should be aware of this. For instance, courts use eyewitness accounts on a daily basis s part of the trial and evidence analysis. Based on the findings of this study, it is clear that when eyewitnesses are questioned din court (an environment they are not used to) they are likely to be affected by high levels of suggestibility in case the person questioning them decides to use leading or suggestive questions. For best and unbiased results in such cases where eyewitness account is needed I court as evidence for a crime committed, it would be better for the legal system to find a better way to make sure that the method of getting this information is devised in a way that misinformation through suggestibility will not occur. This is important because traditionally eyewitness accounts in trials have always been used in courtrooms. It is important to advance ways to harness the eyewitness accounts without having to affect the quality of information with regard to the fidelity of the information gained in this way to the truth. Issue s Although the results indicated clearly that the three investigated factors that affect the level of suggestibility, it is essential to note that there may be other factors that may affect the way a person may be affected by suggestibility. Self esteem is for instance a factor than can make a person to be overly receptive to other people’s ideas and concepts and this means that it can affect the way a person may be affected by suggestibility. A person with a low self esteem and low self confidence is likely to be affected by external factors with regard to how they are likely to recall false memories about an incident. Yet, due to the delimitations of this study, this variable was not investigated. Future studies may have to investigate how this affects the level of suggestibility in an eyewitness account. Read More