Final answer:
The best question to ask an eyewitness for the most detailed and accurate recall is open-ended and neutral: "Can you describe the hat the robber was wearing?" This avoids the suggestibility and misinformation effect that can alter a witness's memory. The correct option is (b).
Step-by-step explanation:
To elicit the most detailed, undistorted recall from an eyewitness to a robbery, the police interrogator should ask the witness, "Can you describe the hat the robber was wearing?" This question is open-ended and neutral, encouraging the witness to provide information without being influenced by the phrasing of the question.
Research on eyewitness testimony, such as that by Loftus, has shown that suggestive questioning can lead to the misinformation effect, altering a witness's memory. Asking for a specific color, as in option (a), or implying the presence of a hat, as in option (c), could be leading and may create false memories or details.
It is well-documented that eyewitness testimony can be unreliable due to factors like suggestibility and the misinformation effect. Loftus's study demonstrates that the wording of questions can significantly influence a witness's recall. Thus, the question that provides an opportunity for detailed recollection without biasing the witness's memory is the most appropriate for police interrogation following the procedures to decrease unintentional influence on the witness's testimony.
The correct option for eliciting the most detailed, undistorted recall from the eyewitness is option (b), "Can you describe the hat the robber was wearing?"