Question

Let's say you are a trained psychologist in memory and have been asked to be a key witness in the defense of a person accused of murder. The murder victim was found in a dark alley. A witness had a glimpse of a shadowy figure standing over the body. The police thoroughly interrogate the witness and arrest a young man. The man has an alibi. There is no other evidence against him, except that of the witness. The witness is positive he saw the accused. Based on what you know, from a psychological perspective, what factors may lead you to doubt this strong testimony of the witness? Use your knowledge about the problems with eyewitness testimony and memory, and tell the jury why they should be doubtful of the witness. The jury is made up of your classmates. Use information from your text and from the video above.

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

As a trained psychologist in memory, I would be hesitant to fully trust the witness's testimony due to the well-documented problems with eyewitness testimony and memory. In particular, the reliability of eyewitness accounts is affected by several factors, including the stress of the event, the amount of time since the event, and the presence of weapons. For example, the stress of witnessing a violent crime can impair one's memory and lead to inaccuracies or even false memories.

Furthermore, research has shown that memory can be easily influenced by external factors, such as leading questions, suggestive comments, and even post-event information. In this case, the witness may have been inadvertently influenced by the media coverage of the crime or by police suggestions during the interrogation process. The fact that the witness only caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure in a dark alley also raises concerns about the reliability of their testimony. With these factors in mind, I would urge the jury to approach the witness's testimony with caution and consider other forms of evidence before reaching a verdict.