Psychology AS Preparation Work: Is Eye Witness Testimony Reliable?

Specification link:

Key Issue/Contribution to Society: Cognitive Approach, Criminal Psychology

Jean Charles de Menezes

Aim:

To understand why it is important for Psychologists to study memory and the factors
affecting the reliability of eyewitness testimony; and how the study of eye witness
testimony has contributed to society.

Task:

You are going to look into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes who was mistaken for a
terrorist and shot dead at Stockwell Underground Station.
1. Use the internet sources (A, below) to find reports about the death of Jean Charles de
Menezes and identify some of the differences between testimonies
2. Use information from the sources (B, below) to try to explain these differences
3. Say why Psychological research in to the accuracy of eyewitness recall is important to the
criminal justice process with particular reference to this case
4. Summarise your findings in the form of a poster or short Power Point presentation

Sources:
A. Jean Charles de Menezes:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/attackonlondon/story/0,16132,1534138,00.html
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/focus/story/0,6903,1548808,00.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/08/17/1123958126875.html?from=top5

B. Accuracy of Eye Witness Testimony

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-the-eyes-have-it/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4177082.stm
http://www.simplypsychology.org/eyewitness-testimony.html
Or you can find your own websites