Marcus and Sarah recently witnessed a daytime robbery at a high-end watch boutique. The robber was brandishing a heavy iron crowbar to shatter display cases while demanding valuable watches. Marcus was asked to give a statement to the police shortly after. He provided a highly detailed description of the crowbar, including its rust marks and shape, but was unable to identify the robber from a video line-up.
Ten days after the event, Sarah, who is an avid reader of classic detective novels, gave her statement to the police. She successfully identified the robber from the line-up but insisted that the robber was carrying a handgun. Another bystander at the scene, with whom Sarah had chatted while waiting for the emergency services, also claimed that a handgun had been used.
Evaluate factors influencing the eye-witness testimony given by Marcus and Sarah.
You must make reference to the context in your answer.
Practise Edexcel A Level Psychology Content with exam-style questions for A Level Psychology. 1,059 questions covering Bowlby's work on attachment, Ainsworth and the Strange Situation, Research into deprivation, Research into privation, Research into day care, Cross-cultural research into attachment, Autism, Individual differences, and Developmental psychology, matched to the Edexcel A Level Psychology (9PS0) specification and written in Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.
