The Effect Memory Has on Eyewitnesses and The Bystander Effect

Diana Silva

Co-Presenters: Individual Presentation

College: College of Liberal Arts

Major: MA.FORENSIC-PSY

Faculty Research Mentor: Doyle, Christine  

Abstract:

AbstractThe criminal justice system relies on a series of things when gaining evidence or information on crimes that are committed. Eyewitness testimony is one of the more controversial forms of evidence that requires a person to give specific details of a crime that was committed through eyewitness identification. Some critics argue that eyewitness identification is unreliable due to the mind’s ability to distort reality, which can therefore create false memories. Others argue that eyewitness identification is pivotal in gaining information on a crime or perpetrator, and that the main problem that surrounds it is more about the way the information is acquired rather than recollection itself. The purpose of this study is to test memory recall of people in regard to their environment. For the following study, there will be 2 pools of participants. Participants in the 1st group will be asked to watch a video in Qualtrics and then complete a survey while participants in the 2nd group will follow the same format but be involved in a focus group discussion before they fill out the survey. A convenience sample of approximately 150 participants will be chosen to take part in this study. The potential goal of the study is to identify the effect of bystanders on memory recall to better understand eyewitness identification.Keywords: eyewitness testimony, eyewitness identification, memory