Memory and Eyewitness Testimony Single channel
Chair (Coordinator) and Rapporteur: CLELIA MATILDE ROSSI ARNAUD
Module 1: Memory and Eyewitness Testimony
- Activity type
- Psicologia generale, fisiologica e psicometria
- SSD
- M-PSI/01
- Year
- N/D
- Semester
- N/D
- CFU
- 3
- Hours distribution
- 36 laboratory hours
- Lecturers
- CLELIA MATILDE ROSSI ARNAUD
Module 2: Memory and Eyewitness Testimony Lab
- Activity type
- Psicologia generale, fisiologica e psicometria
- SSD
- M-PSI/01
- Year
- N/D
- Semester
- N/D
- CFU
- 6
- Hours distribution
- 48 classroom hours
- Lecturers
- CLELIA MATILDE ROSSI ARNAUD
Objectives
The course will provide students with a set of up-to-date knowledge on memory processes and forgetting. The course aims at providing an overview of current issues regarding memory. A focus will be placed on eyewitness testimony according to age (children, adults and the elderly). In laboratory sessions practical aspects related to eyewitness testimony will be examined.
Knowledge and understanding: By the end of the course students will have acquired a sound knowledge on learning theories and memory models, on tests and techniques commonly adopted in this area and on the conceptual and methodological issues involved in applying this knowledge to real-life forensic situations.
Applying knowledge and understanding: By the end of the course students will have developed the necessary skills in order to critically assess the relevant scientific literature and the adequacy of empirical research on memory in the legal system.
Communication skills: Course activities in which students will be divided into small work groups and will then orally present the work carried out on specific topics will crucially contribute to the development of communication skills.
Learning skills: Students will develop the ability to acquire autonomously up-to-date knowledge on specific topics of interest. They will understand the most effective ways to master scientific literature using online library (such as Scopus) and develop the ability to efficaciously critically analyze up-to-date scientific papers.
Learning outcomes
Students will be able to apply theories of memory to cases involving the reliability of testimony; students will be able to identify important research methods and paradigms in legal psychology; students will be able to identify important factors related to the reliability of testimony; students will be able to evaluate the reliability of testimony in a given case; students will be able to discuss and link relevant theories.
Prerequisites
Knowledge related to cognitive psychology, methodology and data analysis are useful. Some knowledge of the English language is also useful.
Programme
Module: Memory and Eyewitness Testimony
The course aims at providing an overview of current issues regarding the topic of learn-ing and memory in the legal context: Eyewitness testimony: accuracy and suggestibility in chil-dren and older adult; strategies for memory improvement and memory tests and techniques will also be considered.
Issues that will be considered in the course are as follows:
- What is memory and why do we need it
- How many kinds of memory
- Why do we forget
- What influences accuracy and suggestibility in eyewitnesses according to age
– Face recognition
– The weapon focus effect
– Source monitoring
– The cross-race effect
–The cognitive interview.
The course offers lectures (48 hours) on the above cited topics and laboratory practice (36 hours). The latter will entail studying practical aspects of research on memory processes with a special focus on eyewitness memory. Students will work in groups, perform experimental work on and eyewitness interviews, prepare presentation
Module: Memory and Eyewitness Testimony Lab
The course aims at providing an overview of current issues regarding the topic of learn-ing and memory in the legal context: Eyewitness testimony: accuracy and suggestibility in chil-dren and older adult; strategies for memory improvement and memory tests and techniques will also be considered.
Issues that will be considered in the course are as follows:
- What is memory and why do we need it
- How many kinds of memory
- Why do we forget
- What influences accuracy and suggestibility in eyewitnesses according to age
– Face recognition
– The weapon focus effect
– Source monitoring
– The cross-race effect
–The cognitive interview.
The course offers lectures (48 hours) on the above cited topics and laboratory practice (36 hours). The latter will entail studying practical aspects of research on memory processes with a special focus on eyewitness memory. Students will work in groups, perform experimental work on and eyewitness interviews, prepare presentation
Books
Module: Memory and Eyewitness Testimony
Baddeley A., Eysenck M. & Anderson M. (2020) Memory (3rd ed.). Hove, Psychology Press;
Educational materials relating to the topics covered in the teaching and a list of scientific articles will be made available via E-LEARNING.
Module: Memory and Eyewitness Testimony Lab
Baddeley A., Eysenck M. & Anderson M. (2020) Memory (3rd ed.). Hove, Psychology Press;
Educational materials relating to the topics covered in the teaching and a list of scientific articles will be made available via E-LEARNING.
Bibliography
Module: Memory and Eyewitness Testimony
N/D
Module: Memory and Eyewitness Testimony Lab
N/D
Lessons mode
Whether lectures will be via web or in person will depend on the development of the health emergency produced by Covid-19 Pandemic and communicated to students before the examination date through the teacher's notice board in the Catalogo dei Corsi di Studio di Sapienza Università di Roma web site.
The course offers lectures (48 hours) on the above cited topics and laboratory practice (36 hours). The latter will entail studying practical aspects of research on memory processes with a special focus on eyewitness memory. Students will work in groups, perform experimental work, analyze eyewitness interviews, prepare oral presentation and write essays on applied aspects of research on eyewitness memory.
Frequency
Not mandatory but strongly advised
Exam mode
For the assessment of the theoretical and laboratory knowledge of the program (6+3CFU), the written test takes place in the context of the calls set by the University.
Marks are on a 30/30 basis. The final score is a weighted average between the mark obtained in the assessment of the laboratory part (3 CFU) and the mark of the written examination on the theoretical part of the course (6CFU).
To pass the examination students must reach a score of at least 18/30; this holds true both for the laboratory part (3cfu) and for the theoretical part (6cfu). Students must show they have acquired a sound knowledge of the various topics covered during the course. To obtain a 30/30 cum laude mark, students must show they have acquired an excellent knowledge of the various topics, being able to connect them logically and consistently.
Example exam questions
Which of the following could be a criticism of the perspective shift technique in cognitive interviewing? A. It can lead to an increased use of schemasB. May lead to the witness being asked to make assumptions about what happenedC. May lead to increased recall of trivial detailsD. May lead to contextual forgetting
When lineup procedures are videotaped, even positive feedback from the investigators on the identification made does not influence the witness's level of confidence True or False?
Part Two: Answer the following questions:
Explain the phenomenon of retrieval-induced forgetting and its implications for witness interviewing, taking care to describe relevant experimental research (5 marks).
Arguments
Module: Memory and Eyewitness Testimony
- working memory test
- memory test
- How do false memories arise - suggestibility test
- scientific police
- hearing of the minor
- face recognition
- the case of Marta Russo
- the case Lockerbie
Module: Memory and Eyewitness Testimony Lab
- Introduction to the course
- historical background
- Methods in Psychology
- How memory works - Part 1
- working memory and testimony
- How memory works - Part 2
- identification procedures - systematic variables
- identification procedures - estimator variables
- Cognitive Interview
- testimony analyses
- retrieval and forgetting - part 1
- retrieval and forgetting - part 2
- memory development and child testimony
- autobiographical memory
Sustainability goals
- Academic year2026/2027
- Degree program to which the course belongsLegal, Forensic and Criminological Psychology
- Mandatory presenceYes
- Languageita
- CFU9 CFU, distributed among 2 integrated didactic modules
- Total duration84 hours