Describe and evaluate research that has investigated the influence of anxiety on the
accuracy of eyewitness testimony (16 marks)
Anxiety is a state of emotional and physical arousal, and is a normal reaction to a stressful
situation. It can have negative and positive effects on eyewitness memory.
Johnson and Scott (1976) tested how the anxiety caused by weapon focus can have a
negative effect on the accuracy of eyewitness recall. Two groups experienced a weapon
condition (high anxiety) and a non-weapon condition (low anxiety). In the weapon condition,
participants overheard a heated exchange near the reception they were situated in. An
individual then walked past holding a bloodied knife. In the no weapon condition, an individual
walked past holding a pen with his hands covered in grease. When asked to identify the
individual, participants in the no weapon condition were correct 49% of the time compared to
33%. This suggests that high levels of anxiety can have negative effects on the accuracy of
eyewitness recall.
However, there is also research to show that anxiety can have positive effects on the
accuracy of eyewitness recall. Yullie and Cutshall (1986) interviewed witnesses to a real
shooting 5 months after it happened. The results were compared to the original police
interviews and accuracy was determined by the number of details remembered. They were
also asked to rate how stressed they were at the time of the event. The participants who
reported the highest levels of stress were the most accurate (88% compared to 75% for the
non-stressed group). This shows that anxiety can in fact have a positive effect on the
accuracy on eyewitness recall.
One limitation of the Johnson and Scott study is that they may not have tested anxiety.
There is alternative research that suggests that participants focussed on the weapon
because they were surprised rather than scared. Pickel (1998) conducted an experiment
using scissors, a handgun, a wallet and a raw chicken as the hand held items. Eyewitness
accuracy was significantly poorer in the high unusualness conditions e.g. the raw chicken.
This suggests that weapon focus effect is due to unusualness rather than anxiety and
therefore tells us nothing specifically about the effects of anxiety on eyewitness testimony.
However, there is evidence supporting Johnson and Scott’s findings. Valentine and Mesout
(2009) divided participants into high anxiety and low anxiety groups by measuring their heart
rate. They found that high anxiety clearly disrupted the participants ability to recall details
about the actor in the London Dungeon. This supports the view that anxiety has a negative
effect on memory.
There is also further evidence supporting Yullie and Cutshall’s findings. Christianson and
Hubinette (1993) interviewed witnesses to an actual bank robbery. They assumed that the
most directly involved e.g. the cashier would have been the most anxious and found that
indeed they had the most accurate recall of the event. This confirms that anxiety does
enhance memory.
Although, there are weaknesses in this study. The research was conducted months after the
event meaning researchers had no control over what happened to the participants in the
intervening time, e.g. post event discussion. It is possible that lack of control over
accuracy of eyewitness testimony (16 marks)
Anxiety is a state of emotional and physical arousal, and is a normal reaction to a stressful
situation. It can have negative and positive effects on eyewitness memory.
Johnson and Scott (1976) tested how the anxiety caused by weapon focus can have a
negative effect on the accuracy of eyewitness recall. Two groups experienced a weapon
condition (high anxiety) and a non-weapon condition (low anxiety). In the weapon condition,
participants overheard a heated exchange near the reception they were situated in. An
individual then walked past holding a bloodied knife. In the no weapon condition, an individual
walked past holding a pen with his hands covered in grease. When asked to identify the
individual, participants in the no weapon condition were correct 49% of the time compared to
33%. This suggests that high levels of anxiety can have negative effects on the accuracy of
eyewitness recall.
However, there is also research to show that anxiety can have positive effects on the
accuracy of eyewitness recall. Yullie and Cutshall (1986) interviewed witnesses to a real
shooting 5 months after it happened. The results were compared to the original police
interviews and accuracy was determined by the number of details remembered. They were
also asked to rate how stressed they were at the time of the event. The participants who
reported the highest levels of stress were the most accurate (88% compared to 75% for the
non-stressed group). This shows that anxiety can in fact have a positive effect on the
accuracy on eyewitness recall.
One limitation of the Johnson and Scott study is that they may not have tested anxiety.
There is alternative research that suggests that participants focussed on the weapon
because they were surprised rather than scared. Pickel (1998) conducted an experiment
using scissors, a handgun, a wallet and a raw chicken as the hand held items. Eyewitness
accuracy was significantly poorer in the high unusualness conditions e.g. the raw chicken.
This suggests that weapon focus effect is due to unusualness rather than anxiety and
therefore tells us nothing specifically about the effects of anxiety on eyewitness testimony.
However, there is evidence supporting Johnson and Scott’s findings. Valentine and Mesout
(2009) divided participants into high anxiety and low anxiety groups by measuring their heart
rate. They found that high anxiety clearly disrupted the participants ability to recall details
about the actor in the London Dungeon. This supports the view that anxiety has a negative
effect on memory.
There is also further evidence supporting Yullie and Cutshall’s findings. Christianson and
Hubinette (1993) interviewed witnesses to an actual bank robbery. They assumed that the
most directly involved e.g. the cashier would have been the most anxious and found that
indeed they had the most accurate recall of the event. This confirms that anxiety does
enhance memory.
Although, there are weaknesses in this study. The research was conducted months after the
event meaning researchers had no control over what happened to the participants in the
intervening time, e.g. post event discussion. It is possible that lack of control over
