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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
Discuss the key question: How reliable is eyewitness testimony?
Answer
Eyewitness testimony is a critical issue within the criminal justice system as it can greatly influence the outcomes of trials. In fact, the Innocence Project (2015) identified that 72% of wrongful convictions were partly or wholly due to eyewitness misidentification, highlighting the significance of this question.
Society relies heavily on the accuracy of eyewitness accounts, but the implications of unreliable testimony can lead to innocent individuals being imprisoned for crimes they did not commit. For example, individuals like Ronald Cotton have faced significant hardships after being wrongly identified and convicted, spending over a decade in prison for crimes they did not commit.
These examples illustrate that eyewitness testimony can often be unreliable, posing questions about its trustworthiness in the eyes of law enforcement and society as a whole.
Step 2
Discuss theories relevant to eyewitness testimony.
Answer
Cognitive psychology introduces theories such as the reconstructive memory theory, which posits that individuals can fill in gaps in their memory using existing schemas when recalling information. This means that if eyewitnesses are not attentive or do not accurately recall events, their recollections can be misleading or distorted.
Additionally, research conducted by Peterson and Peterson (1959) emphasized the role of rehearsal in memory retention, suggesting that if witnesses rehearse their memories repeatedly, they may achieve a more accurate recollection. Understanding these cognitive processes is essential in evaluating the reliability of eyewitness testimonies.