B2985 - The Psychology of Eyewitness Testimony

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will:

• know the main cognitive, perceptual, and social processes involved in eyewitness testimony;
• understand the reconstructive nature of memory and the main factors that may affect the accuracy of recollection;
• know the mechanisms underlying face perception and recognition;
• know the main procedures used for suspect identification and the factors that may affect their reliability;
• be able to critically evaluate scientific findings on eyewitness testimony and apply them to the analysis of simple forensic situations;
• be able to distinguish between the objective accuracy of a testimony and the subjective confidence expressed by the witness.

Course contents

The course introduces the fundamental principles of eyewitness psychology, focusing on the cognitive, perceptual, and social processes that influence the accuracy of memory in forensic contexts.

Through the presentation of theoretical models, scientific articles, experiments, and illustrative cases, the following topics will be examined:

• the reconstructive nature of memory and the reasons why eyewitness testimony may be inaccurate;
• witness- and event-related factors that may influence the encoding and subsequent retrieval of a memory, including acute stress, exposure duration, distance, viewing conditions, weapon presence, subjective confidence, cross-race biases, and individual differences;
• the effects of the passage of time and exposure to post-event information, with particular reference to the misinformation effect and source-monitoring errors;
• the mechanisms of face perception and recognition, with reference to the main theoretical models and neuroscientific evidence;
• suspect-identification procedures, the construction of photographic lineups, and the differences between the main presentation formats;
• the relationship between confidence and accuracy in eyewitness testimony;
• procedures for collecting testimony and the role of questions, expectations, and suggestive information;
• the transfer of knowledge obtained from experimental research to investigative and judicial contexts.

The course aims to provide a critical and scientifically grounded perspective on the reliability of eyewitness testimony and on the use of psychological evidence in forensic settings.

Readings/Bibliography

• No single textbook is required.

  The material for exam preparation will include:

  • slides and materials presented during the lectures;
  • selected scientific articles, mainly in English;
  • possible supplementary book chapters;
  • examples drawn from the empirical literature and case studies.

  Compulsory materials will be indicated by the instructor and made available through the Virtuale platform.

Teaching methods

The course comprises 3 ECTS credits, corresponding to 24 hours of in-person teaching.

Lectures will present the main theoretical models and research findings on eyewitness testimony, together with the analysis of experiments, videos, case studies, and examples of procedures used in investigative and judicial contexts.

The methodological limitations of the studies and the possibilities for applying experimental findings to forensic settings will also be critically discussed during the course.

Assessment methods

Learning will be assessed through a written test consisting of 31 multiple-choice questions. Each question will include four response options, only one of which is correct.

The questions will assess both knowledge of the main concepts, theoretical models, and experimental findings presented during the course, and the ability to apply them to the analysis of brief situations concerning eyewitness testimony and forensic contexts.

One point will be awarded for each correct answer. Incorrect or unanswered questions will not incur any penalty.

The test will be graded according to the following criteria:

• from 18 to 30 correct answers: the final grade corresponds to the number of correct answers;
• 31 correct answers: 30 cum laude;
• fewer than 18 correct answers: fail.

Students will have 25 minutes to complete the test.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

• The following teaching materials and tools will be used:

  • slides and illustrative materials;
  • scientific articles and supplementary readings;
  • videos and examples of experimental procedures;
  • examples of lineups and materials related to eyewitness cases.

  The materials will be made available through the course Virtuale platform.

   

  Office hours

  Please refer to the instructor’s webpage.

Office hours

See the website of Andrea Pavan