Abstract
A number of studies have examined the association between individual differences in working memory capacity and the production of false memories. However, the relationship between individual differences in working memory capacity and the ability to accurately identify a perpetrator out of a lineup has never been studied. The current study measures participants’ working memory capacity, sustained attention, and speed of processing in order to determine if it has an effect on people’s ability to identify a man out of a lineup. In the study, participants are placed in either a “warning” or “no warning” condition before watching a short video. Participants in the warning condition are explicitly told that they will need to identify the man in the video at a later point in the study. Participants in the no warning condition are simply told to watch the video in order to comment on its artistic appeal. After watching the video, participants’ working memory capacity is assessed using an AOSPAN task. The participants are then asked to identify the man they saw in the video in a simultaneous lineup. Finally, participants’ speed of processing and sustained attention is measured using a pattern comparison and SART task, respectively.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. W. Matthew Collins, Dr. Jonathan Banks
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-12-2013 1:00 PM
End Date
4-12-2013 5:30 PM
Individual Differences in Working Memory Capacity and Eyewitness Identification
Alvin Sherman Library
A number of studies have examined the association between individual differences in working memory capacity and the production of false memories. However, the relationship between individual differences in working memory capacity and the ability to accurately identify a perpetrator out of a lineup has never been studied. The current study measures participants’ working memory capacity, sustained attention, and speed of processing in order to determine if it has an effect on people’s ability to identify a man out of a lineup. In the study, participants are placed in either a “warning” or “no warning” condition before watching a short video. Participants in the warning condition are explicitly told that they will need to identify the man in the video at a later point in the study. Participants in the no warning condition are simply told to watch the video in order to comment on its artistic appeal. After watching the video, participants’ working memory capacity is assessed using an AOSPAN task. The participants are then asked to identify the man they saw in the video in a simultaneous lineup. Finally, participants’ speed of processing and sustained attention is measured using a pattern comparison and SART task, respectively.
