Understanding and Evaluating Eyewitness Recall of Events

Abstract

Human factors practitioners in litigation sometimes base event reconstructions upon information from witnesses. The witnesses can be those who actively performed the at-issue tasks or those who merely observed the events. During this alternative-format interactive session, attendees will watch three event scenarios (two video and one role play). Attendees will then be queried about their recall of those scenarios, which will then be compared to the veridical information from the videos. The facilitators will help identify the particular eyewitness memory factors at play with the objectives of providing attendees (1) an experiential learning experience in which relevant eyewitness memory dynamics are demonstrated and discussed; (2) a summary of some of the cognitive-science literature concerning eyewitness memory for events and a framework to assist in evaluating and weighing the accuracy and completeness of eyewitness accounts; and (3) the general judicial posture toward expert testimony about eyewitness dynamics.