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Cognitive psychology has been used to explain key questions of relevance to today’s society - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 5 - 2019 - Paper 1
Question 5
Cognitive psychology has been used to explain key questions of relevance to today’s society. Discuss the key question for society you have studied using concepts, t... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Cognitive psychology has been used to explain key questions of relevance to today’s society - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 5 - 2019 - Paper 1
Step 1
Key question: How reliable is eyewitness testimony?
Answer
Eyewitness testimony is a significant topic in cognitive psychology, as it can have serious implications for the judicial system.
One concern is that unreliable eyewitness testimony can lead to wrongful convictions. According to the Innocence Project (2015), 72% of wrongful convictions were partly due to misidentification, highlighting its critical societal impact. Furthermore, individuals may be wrongfully incarcerated for crimes they did not commit, which means that many actual crimes remain unreported as innocent people are imprisoned.
Researcher Ronald Cotton was wrongfully convicted based on eyewitness testimony and later exonerated. His case, studied by Jennifer Thomson-Canino, shows how distorted memories can impact real lives, emphasizing the issue of reliability and its societal consequences.
Step 2
AO2: How do cognitive psychology theories explain this?
Answer
Cognitive psychology offers theories to understand the reliability of eyewitness testimony.
The reconstructive memory theory suggests that our memories are not perfect records but can be influenced by prior knowledge and experiences. As individuals recall events, they might fill in gaps in their memories based on expectations, which can distort the accuracy of what they recall.
For instance, if witnesses tend to overlook certain details, their recollections may be inaccurate when it comes to identifying suspects. Additionally, research indicates that rehearsal of an event can aid memory retention. Peterson and Peterson (1959) found that repeated rehearsals of details could lead to more accurate recall, demonstrating the importance of memory strategies in eyewitness accuracy.