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Wade KA, Spearing ER. The effect of cross-examination style questions on adult eyewitness accuracy depends on question type and eyewitness confidence. Memory 2023; 31:163-178. [PMID: 36184815 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2022.2129066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
In adversarial legal systems across the world, witnesses in criminal trials are subjected to cross-examination. The questions that cross-examiners pose to witnesses are often complex and confusing; they might include negatives, double negatives, leading questions, closed questions, either/or questions, or complex syntax and vocabulary. Few psycholegal studies have explored the impact of such questions on the accuracy of adult witnesses' reports. In two experiments, we adapted the standard investigative interview procedure to examine the effect of five types of cross-examination style questions on witness accuracy and confidence. Participants watched a mock crime video and answered simple-style questions about the event. Following a delay, participants answered both cross-examination style questions and simple questions about the event. Negative and Double negative questions sometimes impaired the accuracy of witnesses' responses during cross-examination, whereas Leading and Leading-with-feedback questions did not impair - but sometimes enhanced - the accuracy of witnesses' responses. Participants who were better at discriminating between correct and incorrect responses on the initial memory test were more likely to improve the accuracy of their reports during cross-examination. Our findings suggest that the effect of cross-examination style questions on eyewitness accuracy depends on question type and witnesses' confidence in their responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley A Wade
- Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Emily R Spearing
- Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
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2
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Ma X, Jiang X, Jiang Y. Increased spontaneous fronto-central oscillatory power during eye closing in patients with multiple somatic symptoms. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2022; 324:111489. [PMID: 35537300 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2022.111489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Functional somatic symptoms (FSS) are typically associated with excessive thoughts, feelings and behaviors related to the physical symptoms whether these symptoms are unequivocally associated with a diagnosed medical condition. However, less evidence is available concerning the neurocognitive deficits underlying these features of FSS. This study aimed to examine the resting-state oscillatory activities during both eye-opening and eye-closure states in individuals with FSS. Sixty-six FSS patients screened with PHQ-15 received two 10-minute sessions of EEG assessments. All completed clinical measurements on depression, anxiety, and psychological measurements on personality traits and alexithymia. Patients scoring high on PHQ-15 (the multiple somatic symptom (MSS) or SS-high group) demonstrated increased powers in central channels (C3 and C4) in low-beta band and in the left-frontal channel (F3) in high-gamma band, during eye-closure states. Patients with higher scores in depression were more likely to be classified as the SS-high group. SS-high patients demonstrated increased difficulties in describing and identifying emotions, and less reduced day-dreaming. The combined findings in increased fronto-central high-frequency activities and alexithymia measures suggest MSS patients are associated with enhanced internally-oriented thinking and cognitive simulation which may lead to intensified feelings of simulated events and misattribution of symptoms. Future treatments should focus on eliminating cognitive bias and enhancing accuracy in interoceptive awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiquan Ma
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoming Jiang
- Institute of Linguistics, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yu Jiang
- Institute for Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
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3
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Parker A, Parkin A, Dagnall N. Eye-closure effects and the influence of short-term storage and processing capacity on episodic memory. Memory 2022; 30:1018-1030. [PMID: 35546129 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2022.2072894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Two experiments investigated differences in short-term storage and processing capacity on the magnitude of eye-closure effects on episodic memory. Experiment 1 compared individuals with high (vs. low) forward and backward spans in the free-recall of words retrieved under both eyes closed and open conditions. Main effects of both forward and backward span capacity (greater recall for the high span group) and eye-closure (higher recall with eyes closed) were found. Eye-closure was also associated with more "remember" responses. Experiment 2 compared individuals with high (vs. low) reading spans and found both main effects for reading span and eye-closure (greater recall for the high span group and with eyes closed). Remember responses were associated with both high reading span and eye-closure. The absence of interactions is discussed in terms of explanations of eye-closure effects that differentiate between modality-general and modality-specific processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Parker
- Department of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - Adam Parkin
- Department of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - Neil Dagnall
- Department of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
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4
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Gelman A. “Two truths and a lie” as a class-participation activity*. AM STAT 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/00031305.2022.2058612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Gelman
- Department of Statistics and Department of Political Science, Columbia University, New York
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Spearing ER, Wade KA. Providing Eyewitness Confidence Judgments During Versus After Eyewitness Interviews Does Not Affect the Confidence-Accuracy Relationship. JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN MEMORY AND COGNITION 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jarmac.2021.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Repetitive Saccadic Eye Movements Enhance Eyewitness Recall in Specific-Open Questioning. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s41465-020-00199-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Mansour JK. The Confidence-Accuracy Relationship Using Scale Versus Other Methods of Assessing Confidence. JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN MEMORY AND COGNITION 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jarmac.2020.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Parker A, Dagnall N. Eye-closure & the retrieval of item-specific information in recognition memory. Conscious Cogn 2019; 77:102858. [PMID: 31837571 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2019.102858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 11/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Two experiments investigated the effect of eye-closure on visual and auditory memory under conditions based on the retrieval of item-specific information. Experiment 1 investigated visual recognition memory for studied, perceptually similar and unrelated items. It was found that intermittent eye-closure increased memory for studied items and decreased memory for related items. This finding was reflected by enhanced item-specific and reduced gist memory. Experiment 2 used the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm to assess auditory recognition memory for studied, related and unrelated words that had (vs. had not) been accompanied by pictures during encoding. Pictures but not eye-closure produced a picture superiority effect by enhancing memory for studied items. False memory was reduced by pictures but not eye-closure. Methodological and theoretical considerations are discussed in relation to existing explanations of eye-closure and retrieval strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Parker
- Manchester Metropolitan University, Department of Psychology, 53 Bonsall Street, Manchester M15 6GX, United Kingdom.
| | - Neil Dagnall
- Manchester Metropolitan University, Department of Psychology, 53 Bonsall Street, Manchester M15 6GX, United Kingdom
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9
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Asking an eyewitness to predict their later lineup performance could harm the confidence–accuracy relationship. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/acp.3599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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10
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Fawcett H, Winstanley K. Children as alibi witnesses: the effect of age and confidence on mock-juror decision making. PSYCHIATRY, PSYCHOLOGY, AND LAW : AN INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF THE AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION OF PSYCHIATRY, PSYCHOLOGY AND LAW 2018; 25:957-971. [PMID: 31984060 PMCID: PMC6818428 DOI: 10.1080/13218719.2018.1482573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the influence of child alibi witness age and confidence upon mock juror decision making. Participants (N = 145) read a mock murder trial transcript containing the evidence of a defendant and a corroborating child alibi witness. Six versions of the trial transcript were created manipulating the alibi witness's age (8, 12, 16 years of age) and the confidence they displayed (high, low) while giving evidence. Despite a tendency towards returning not-guilty verdicts, no associations between alibi witness age, confidence and verdicts were found. However, confident alibi witnesses were perceived as more honest, accurate and reliable than unconfident alibi witnesses. The findings do not support the two-factor model of witness credibility, but do suggest that the alibi scepticism commonly found towards adult alibi witnesses may not extend as strongly towards children corroborating the defendant's alibi. More research is required before policy recommendations can be made.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Fawcett
- Department of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan
University, Manchester, UK
| | - Kate Winstanley
- Department of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan
University, Manchester, UK
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Rechdan J, Sauer JD, Hope L, Sauerland M, Ost J, Merckelbach H. Computer Mediated Social Comparative Feedback Does Not Affect Metacognitive Regulation of Memory Reports. Front Psychol 2017; 8:1433. [PMID: 28890704 PMCID: PMC5575153 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2017] [Accepted: 08/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
In two experiments, we investigated how social comparative feedback affects the metacognitive regulation of eyewitness memory reports. In Experiment 1, 87 participants received negative, positive, or no feedback about a co-witness’s performance on a task querying recall of a crime video. Participants then completed the task individually. There were no significant differences between negative and positive feedback groups on any measure. However, participants in both of these conditions volunteered more fine-grain details than participants in the control condition. In Experiment 2, 90 participants answered questions about a crime video. Participants in the experimental groups received either positive or negative feedback, which compared their performance to that of others. Participants then completed a subsequent recall task, for which they were told their performance would not be scored. Feedback did not significantly affect participants’ confidence, accuracy, or the level of detail they reported in comparison to a no feedback control group. These findings advance our understanding of the boundary conditions for social feedback effects on meta-memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Rechdan
- Department of Psychology, University of PortsmouthPortsmouth, United Kingdom.,Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht UniversityMaastricht, Netherlands
| | - James D Sauer
- Division of Psychology, University of Tasmania, HobartTAS, Australia
| | - Lorraine Hope
- Department of Psychology, University of PortsmouthPortsmouth, United Kingdom
| | - Melanie Sauerland
- Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht UniversityMaastricht, Netherlands
| | - James Ost
- Department of Psychology, University of PortsmouthPortsmouth, United Kingdom
| | - Harald Merckelbach
- Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht UniversityMaastricht, Netherlands
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12
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Waubert de Puiseau B, Greving S, Aßfalg A, Musch J. On the importance of considering heterogeneity in witnesses' competence levels when reconstructing crimes from multiple witness testimonies. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2016; 81:947-960. [PMID: 27832376 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-016-0802-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Aggregating information across multiple testimonies may improve crime reconstructions. However, different aggregation methods are available, and research on which method is best suited for aggregating multiple observations is lacking. Furthermore, little is known about how variance in the accuracy of individual testimonies impacts the performance of competing aggregation procedures. We investigated the superiority of aggregation-based crime reconstructions involving multiple individual testimonies and whether this superiority varied as a function of the number of witnesses and the degree of heterogeneity in witnesses' ability to accurately report their observations. Moreover, we examined whether heterogeneity in competence levels differentially affected the relative accuracy of two aggregation procedures: a simple majority rule, which ignores individual differences, and the more complex general Condorcet model (Romney et al., Am Anthropol 88(2):313-338, 1986; Batchelder and Romney, Psychometrika 53(1):71-92, 1988), which takes into account differences in competence between individuals. 121 participants viewed a simulated crime and subsequently answered 128 true/false questions about the crime. We experimentally generated groups of witnesses with homogeneous or heterogeneous competences. Both the majority rule and the general Condorcet model provided more accurate reconstructions of the observed crime than individual testimonies. The superiority of aggregated crime reconstructions involving multiple individual testimonies increased with an increasing number of witnesses. Crime reconstructions were most accurate when competences were heterogeneous and aggregation was based on the general Condorcet model. We argue that a formal aggregation should be considered more often when eyewitness testimonies have to be assessed and that the general Condorcet model provides a good framework for such aggregations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berenike Waubert de Puiseau
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Duesseldorf, Universitaetsstrasse 1, Building 23.03, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany.
| | - Sven Greving
- Department of Psychology, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany
| | - André Aßfalg
- Department of Psychology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jochen Musch
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Duesseldorf, Universitaetsstrasse 1, Building 23.03, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
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13
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Overconfidence in personnel selection: When and why unstructured interview information can hurt hiring decisions. ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND HUMAN DECISION PROCESSES 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2016.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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14
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Vredeveldt A, Hollins TJ. Metacognition moderates the effects of distraction on cognition. Front Psychol 2015; 6:106. [PMID: 25709594 PMCID: PMC4321329 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 01/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Annelies Vredeveldt
- Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, VU University AmsterdamAmsterdam, Netherlands
- *Correspondence:
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