Julian and Helena recently witnessed a daytime robbery at a local convenience store. The offender was brandishing a large, serrated kitchen knife to threaten the cashier while grabbing money from the till. Julian, who was interviewed immediately after the incident, provided a highly detailed description of the knife, including its serrated blade and wooden handle, but was unable to identify the offender from a photo lineup.
Two weeks after the incident, Helena gave her statement to the police. She successfully identified the offender from the lineup but insisted that the offender was carrying a silver revolver. Helena, who regularly watches action movies and crime dramas, had spent some time in a waiting area after the robbery chatting with another customer, who also claimed that a silver revolver had been used.
Evaluate factors influencing the eye-witness testimony given by Julian and Helena.
You must make reference to the context in your answer.
120 exam-style questions on Edexcel A Level Psychology Content, covering Biological explanations of crime, Social explanations of crime, Cognitive and ethical interview techniques, Psychological formulation of offending, Cognitive-behavioural treatment for offenders, Biological treatment for offenders, Factors influencing eye-witness testimony, Factors influencing jury decision-making, Individual differences, and Developmental psychology. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.