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Rose witnessed a robbery at a bank - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 7 - 2019 - Paper 2
Question 7
Rose witnessed a robbery at a bank. Whilst she was waiting to give her statement to the police she was in a room with other witnesses to the robbery. Rose gave an in... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Rose witnessed a robbery at a bank - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 7 - 2019 - Paper 2
Step 1
Describe how post-event information may have affected Rose’s testimony of the robbery.
Answer
Post-event information can significantly impact a witness's testimony. In Rose's case, she may have discussed the robbery with other witnesses, which could mislead her memory due to the process of social contagion. For example, Rose might have originally thought the robber had brown hair but could have changed her recollection after hearing from another witness who might have described the robber differently.
Additionally, having seen news reports about the robbery mentioning a weapon could have altered her memory. If the reports indicated that a weapon was used, Rose might unconsciously incorporate that detail into her own memory of the event, despite not having seen a weapon herself.
Step 2
Describe how the police may have carried out a cognitive interview with Rose.
Answer
The police likely began the cognitive interview by asking Rose to recall all the details of the robbery in a free-flowing manner, encouraging her to describe everything she remembered, no matter how trivial. This approach is essential as even small details can assist in recovering relevant memories.
They may have asked her to use the context of the event by recalling what she saw from different viewpoints, such as imagining she was the cashier during the robbery. This technique can help trigger specific memories that may not surface in standard questioning.
Additionally, the police would be cautious not to lead Rose or ask suggestive questions, allowing her to reconstruct her memory independently, thus yielding a more accurate account of the robbery.