Reliability and legitimacy of an eyewitness’s memory

This paper will discuss the reliability and legitimacy of an eyewitness’s memory.

Eyewitness testimony can be defined as, “statements given by people who claim to have witnessed an event.” (Loftus, Elizabeth F., and John C. Doyle, Jr. "Eyewitness Testimony." .) It is often thought that eyewitnesses are reliable sources of information because they were actually there and saw what happened with their own two eyes. However, research has shown that this is not always the case.

Studies have found that human memory is often inaccurate, and that eyewitness testimony can be easily influenced by a number of factors. For example, research has shown that people’s memories are often influenced by what they see on TV or read in the news. This is known as the “media effect.” (Loftus, Elizabeth F., and John C. Doyle, Jr. "Eyewitness Testimony.") Another factor that can influence an eyewitness’s memory is leading questions from police officers or lawyers. For example, if a police officer asks a witness, “Did you see the suspect with a gun in his hand?” this may influence the witness to remember seeing something that they did not actually see.

There are also many cognitive biases that can affect memory recall, such as confirmation bias and the sunk cost fallacy. Confirmation bias is the tendency to remember information that confirms one’s preexisting beliefs or hypotheses. For example, if a witness believes that the suspect is guilty, they may be more likely to remember seeing evidence that supports this belief, even if they did not actually see it. The sunk cost fallacy is the tendency to continue investing in something as long as there has been any investment at all, regardless of whether or not it is rational to do so. For example, a witness may be more likely to stick to their story even if it is proven to be inaccurate, because they do not want to admit that they were wrong.

There are many factors that can influence the accuracy of an eyewitness’s memory, and it is important to be aware of these when considering eyewitness testimony. Eyewitnesses are often thought to be reliable sources of information, but research has shown that this is not always the case. Memory is often inaccurate, and can be influenced by a number of factors, such as the media effect, leading questions, and cognitive biases. These factors should be taken into account when considering eyewitness testimony.