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Lesson 2: schemas and ewt

Aims of the lesson To understand the influence of schema’s on our memory To be able to outline what an eyewitness testimony is

What we already know… We categories our experiences of the world into schemas This helps us interpret our new experiences This can allow us to fill in the gaps in the knowledge we already have when faced with new information For example: when we go to a new restaurant we know there will be tables and chairs. We know this because of our restaurant schema. Write down a list of schemas you hold…

Brewer and treyens (1981) Investigated the effects of schemas on visual memory Researchers asked participants individually to wait in a room for 35 seconds The office style room was set up with objects you would typically expect to find in an office, such as a desk, a chair, a calendar and a typewriter However, there were a few items present that were not compatible with an office schema. Such as a brick, a skull and pliers

Brewer and treyens (1981) In an unexpected recall task the researchers found: Participants recalled the obvious items that fitted with the schema Participants were less successful at recalling the strange items – why was this?? 8 participants however recalled the most bizarre item – the skull – why was this?? Most errors in recall were substitutions Participants would add in items that weren’t there however would be expected to be there according to their schema…. Books, pens, telephone

Barlett (1932) Memories are not accurate snapshots of events Instead, memories are reconstructions of events influenced by our schemas

War of the ghosts (Barlett, 1932) Investigated How memory of a story is affected by previous knowledge - schemas If cultural background and unfamiliarity with a text would lead to distortion of memory He used serial reproduction This is where participants hear a story or see a drawing and are told to reproduce it after a short time, then do so again repeatedly over a period of days, weeks, months or years

War of the ghosts (Barlett, 1932) Barlett told British participants “The War of the Ghosts” Native American Legend As the participants were British and the story was American, it involved a number of unknown names and concepts, alongside the manner the story developed which was foreign to them This was really good to use to assess how memory can be reconstructed based on schema processing

War of the ghosts (Barlett, 1932) Results: Participants changed the story as they tried to remember it – a process called distortion

War of the ghosts (Barlett, 1932) Information is retrieved and changed to fit into our already existing schemas War of the ghosts (Barlett, 1932) There were three patterns of distortion… 1. Assimilation The story became more consistent with participants own cultural expectations. For example, details were unconsciously changed to fit the norms of Britain 2. Leveling The story become shorter each time it was recalled, the participant omitting information they considered to be unimportant Essentially… Chinese whispers

War of the ghosts (Barlett, 1932) Information is retrieved and changed to fit into our already existing schemas War of the ghosts (Barlett, 1932) 3. Sharpening Participants tended to change the order of the story to allow it to make sense in terms of their culture This is a reconstructive memory Reconstructive Memory becomes important when looking at eyewitness testimony Essentially… Chinese whispers

Answer in your own words Question time Write down the following questions and provide an answer to each: What is a schema? How do schemas influence our memory? Outline the three patterns of distortion which can allow for reconstructive memories?

What is eyewitness testimony Legal term for the evidence provided by people who have witnessed a particular event, often a crime It is vitally important in the decision making process in court The reliability of the eyewitness testimony is crucial Heavily relies on individuals memory of the event Psychologists are interested in the accuracy of eyewitness reports, factors that reduce accuracy and procedures that can be used to improve their reliability

What does schema have to do with EWT?

Seeing an event and telling someone what happened is easy… right? Whodunnit?

If we think about the unreliability of memory and the use of ewt… Is the greatest contributing factor to wrongful convictions It is the reason over 75% of convictions are then overturned through DNA testing Over 10,000 wrong convictions each year through EWT

In one example of mistaken identity Young man Ronald Cotton had a history with the police (robbery charges) When asked, he got his dates mixed up and his alibi did not check out The victim identified Cotton as the man who attacked her This EWT meant Cotton spent 11 years in prison for two counts of rape 11 years later DNA proved Cotton was not the perpetrator, in fact was Poole “I was certain but I was wrong” – the victim How does schema’s explain what happened here?

Answer in your own words Question time Write down the following questions and provide an answer to each: What is an eyewitness testimony? Why is it important eyewitness testimony's are accurate?

How reliable is your memory?

plenary So the aim of todays lesson was to understand the influence of schema’s on our memory and to be able to outline what an eye witness testimony is On whiteboards I would like you to all individually write from today’s lesson What your understanding of the influence schema’s have on our memory What an eyewitness testimony is