Question

In the context of eyewitness testimony, what role do emotional events play?

A) Enhancement of memory accuracy
B) Reduction of memory reliability
C) Indifference to memory recall
D) Irrelevant to memory processes

Answer 1

Emotional events often enhance memory recall due to arousal theory and can lead to flashbulb memories but also make them prone to inaccuracies and biases. The correct option is A.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the context of eyewitness testimony, emotional events play a significant role. Strong emotional events often lead to what is termed arousal theory, where the heightened emotions can strengthen the memories associated with the event. This is particularly evident in flashbulb memories, exceptionally vivid recollections of significant events.

However, strong emotions can also lead to errors in memory recall and are subject to bias and suggestion, which can distort the accuracy of the memories, making reliance on such memories in legal contexts like eyewitness testimonies potentially problematic.