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 Diagnosis of mental disorders (4 Ds), Classification systems (DSM and ICD), Schizophrenia and one other disorder, Treatments for the two disorders, 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.
