Freethought & Rationalism Archive

11-01-2003, 11:04 AM

Hi! I am researching the issue of the reliability of eyewitness testimony. so far I have found many books that tend to argue against it. Does anybody know of any books/authors/journal articles that defend the use of eyewitness testimony in court etc. or critique many of the studies done by Loftus, Wells, etc.?

Thanks,

Kevin

The Lone Ranger · 11-01-2003, 09:15 PM

I don't think you're likely to find many. Study after study has shown that eyewitness testimony is extremely unreliable.

Cheers,

Michael

seebs · 11-02-2003, 05:48 PM

can't... resist... temptation...

I saw a book on that. I'm sure I could pick it out if I saw it again.

(Just kidding.)

reprise · 11-02-2003, 05:59 PM

Sorry, all of the texts we use in my criminology course concentrate on the extreme unreliability of eyewitness testimony.

SiliconWolf · 11-03-2003, 12:03 AM

It seems that our memories constantly get rearranged by other experiences, meaning that we don't usually remember things in exactly the way they happened.

For example, I spent two months in Australia in 1998, where the cars travel on the left side of the road. Since then I have subconsciously flipped things in my memory so that I "see" the cars on the right side of the road even though I know logically that they were on the left.

liquid · 11-03-2003, 06:10 AM

I just know I've seen something with my own eyes defending eywitness testimony!

Yes, it's unreliable at times, but most people get most stuff right when reporting events they have seen, don't forget that. We aren't totally walking lie machines!

glyndwr · 11-04-2003, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SiliconWolf
It seems that our memories constantly get rearranged by other experiences, meaning that we don't usually remember things in exactly the way they happened.

For example, I spent two months in Australia in 1998, where the cars travel on the left side of the road. Since then I have subconsciously flipped things in my memory so that I "see" the cars on the right side of the road even though I know logically that they were on the left.

And when I think back of living in Germany, all the conversations I had are in ENGLISH now, but then they were all in GERMAN.

Except for the Hungarian ("please fondle my bum").

11-01-2003, 11:04 AM	#1
TheDiddleyMan Guest Posts: n/a	eyewitness testimony Hi! I am researching the issue of the reliability of eyewitness testimony. so far I have found many books that tend to argue against it. Does anybody know of any books/authors/journal articles that defend the use of eyewitness testimony in court etc. or critique many of the studies done by Loftus, Wells, etc.? Thanks, Kevin

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11-01-2003, 09:15 PM	#2
The Lone Ranger Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Eastern U.S. Posts: 1,230	I don't think you're likely to find many. Study after study has shown that eyewitness testimony is extremely unreliable. Cheers, Michael

11-02-2003, 05:48 PM	#3
seebs Contributor Join Date: May 2002 Location: Saint Paul, MN Posts: 24,524	can't... resist... temptation... I saw a book on that. I'm sure I could pick it out if I saw it again. (Just kidding.)

11-02-2003, 05:59 PM	#4
reprise Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Sydney Posts: 3,997	Sorry, all of the texts we use in my criminology course concentrate on the extreme unreliability of eyewitness testimony.

11-03-2003, 12:03 AM	#5
SiliconWolf Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: A soulless suburb of Chicago Posts: 1,000	It seems that our memories constantly get rearranged by other experiences, meaning that we don't usually remember things in exactly the way they happened. For example, I spent two months in Australia in 1998, where the cars travel on the left side of the road. Since then I have subconsciously flipped things in my memory so that I "see" the cars on the right side of the road even though I know logically that they were on the left.

11-03-2003, 06:10 AM	#6
liquid Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: UK Posts: 1,440	I just know I've seen something with my own eyes defending eywitness testimony! Yes, it's unreliable at times, but most people get most stuff right when reporting events they have seen, don't forget that. We aren't totally walking lie machines!

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