An eyewitness to a bank robbery is asked by police to describe the event. The eyewitness recalls seeing the perpetrator holding a black gun, but security footage later reveals the perpetrator was actually holding a black metal wrench.
Explain how schema theory and reconstructive memory can account for this error in the eyewitness's recall.
Practise Edexcel A Level Psychology Content with exam-style questions for A Level Psychology. 1,059 questions 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, 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.
