Report on Psychological Factors Influencing Eye Testimony Accuracy

This report analyzes the accuracy of eyewitness testimonies in a case involving an aggravated robbery and assault. The study examines the testimonies of four witnesses, highlighting the variations in their descriptions of the offender. It delves into the psychological factors influencing perception, memorization, and reproduction of information by witnesses, considering both objective and subjective elements. The report evaluates each witness's testimony using concepts of positive psychology, identifying factors affecting the objectivity and integrity of perception. The analysis includes the impact of situational factors, individual characteristics, and the potential for errors in recalling and reproducing information. The report concludes that the identification evidence is insufficient to definitively link the suspect to the crime, emphasizing the vulnerabilities of eyewitness accounts and the importance of understanding the psychological processes involved in testimony formation.

Running Head: PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS IN EYE TESTIMONY ACCURACY
Psychological Factors in Eye testimony Accuracy
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PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS IN EYE TESTIMONY ACCURACY 2
Psychological Factors in Eye Testimony Accuracy
Introduction
In the case presented, it is suspected that Ms. Alice Chester perpetrated an aggravated
robbery and assault in the Stapleton Street in New Park, Leicester on Friday, January 4th, 2019,
at 7.55 pm. Four witnesses have testified against Ms. Chester. They include: Mr. Geoge Smith,
Simone Smith, Mr. Manu Mulipola, and Mrs. Dipti Patel. The four witnesses have provided their
testimonies related to the crime. Their description of the offender varies. The issue at hand is to
determine whether the proofs presented are accurate. It is the goal of the report to analyze the
accuracy of the eye witness testimonies and decide whether or not they are valid. In this report, a
critical review of subjective and objective factors affecting perception, memorization, and
reproduction of an object would be done. It is important to note that the process of forming
evidence by witnesses and victims is subject to the general rule of the procedure for developing
evidence and has three stages. The first stage entails perception of information. The second stage
involves memorization and storage of data, and the third stage consists of the reproduction of
information (Houston, et al 2013). At each stage, the witness and the victim are affected by
objective and subjective factors. The impact of these factors determines the quality of the
testimony. Perception is a mental process of reflection of objects and phenomena of the
surrounding world in the totality of their properties and signs acting on the senses at the moment.
Perceptions proceed as follows: a person transforms information entering the brain through the
senses by synthesis into a single perceptual image. The image of perception arises based on the
individual properties and qualities of the object. It is hindered by the distraction of the essential
features and attributes of the object (Jiang & Luo, 2016). In addition to sensations, the
experience of a person, his thinking, motivation, etc. are involved in perception. The perception

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS IN EYE TESTIMONY ACCURACY 3
of objective reality by the victim and the witness depends on the characteristics of their
personality (different type of perception, different level of development of observation,
individual components of perception of time, space and movement). By understanding the
subjective and objective factors, it is possible to determine whether the perceptual image or the
testimonies presented by the four eyewitnesses is accurate or not.
Method
Each of the eye witness testimony will be analyzed using the concepts of positive
psychology. Factors affecting the objectivity of perception and integrity of perception ought to
be identified and analyzed critically. It is also essential to analyze the memorization and
reproduction of the information by witnesses.
The first eyewitness is Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith was one of the victims during the incident
and had a direct encounter with the suspected offender. From the situational factors given, it can
be deduced that Mr. Smith's objectivity of perception is higher. The objectivity of perception is
the ability to reflect objects and phenomena of the real world, not in the form of a set of
sensations not connected, but in the form of separate objects. The suspected offender was visible
to Mr. Smith because there was a light that illuminated the crime scene. In spatial perception, all
human senses are involved. The leading role belongs to the joint activity of visual, motor, skin,
and vestibular analyzers. The most important mechanism of visual perception of space is the
mechanism of fusion, which is the basis of binocular vision (vision with two eyes). Perception of
the size of objects is determined by the magnitude of their image on the retina. It is determined
by the distance from the observer's eyes. Since Mr. Smith came into close contact with the
offender, the objectivity of his perception is relatively high. However, there is one limitation. It

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is indicated that Mr. Smith is short-sighted and often wears classes. He also Objective factors
affecting the completeness of the quality of perception include surprise and short duration. In a
short period, it is impossible to mobilize all the senses to the perception of all the details of the
event. Having perceived some part of the event by ear, and not seeing it visually, the witness and
the victim, often unconsciously develop some perceptual image through filling the gaps (Larson,
Goldfarb & Goodman, 2015). Subjective ideas about how this event might have occurred from
their point of view may compel some eye witness to create a story to make the witness "more
real." From a subjective point of view, the premeditation of perception, the degree of sensitivity
of the senses, the experience and knowledge of the victim are essential. Several subjective
factors contribute to the completeness of perception (Walker, 2013). The first factor is the
psychophysiological state of the senses. The second factor is the skills in organized perception
that the victim or witness possess (are formed as a result of life experience and professional
activity). Mr. Smith senses, especially the eyes, are not in the normal psychophysiological state.
This may hinder the objectivity and integrity of his perception. His age could also impede the
objectivity and integrity of his perception.
The second witness is Simone Smith. She was the victim, and like her grandfather, she
had a direct encounter with the offender. The close contact enabled her to perceive many things
about the offender. She said she was short and blonde and looked a bit like the singer "Ellie
Goulding." She also noted that the offender wore a dark pink Superdry hoodie with the hood up,
black ‘Adidas' tracksuit bottoms and green and blue trainers. Additionally, she said she has a
pink nose stud in the shape of a flower. On February 11th, Simone Smith was shown mugshots
and video of known offenders one at a time. She did not pick anyone out of the mugshots. Unlike
Mr. Smith, Simone Smith has a relatively higher selectivity of perception. She was able to

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identify catchy objects from the offender selectively. For example, she said that the offender has
a pink nose stud in the shape of a flower.
It should be noted that the selectivity of perception, which depends on interests, to a large
extent on the attitudes of a person, needs, knowledge, on the one hand, and the other, due to the
characteristics of the subject itself perception, its "catchiness," contrast, etc. Also, her quality of
perception is relatively higher than that of Mr. Smith. The quality of perception depends on the
anticipation of the not perceived parts of the object. Often, witnesses and victims who did not
recognize any object in the totality of general and particular signs complete it using a generalized
image. It is also important to note that Simone Smith has a relatively better comprehension of the
object compared with Mr. Smith. That is why she was able to associate the offender with Ellie
Goulding. The awareness of an object ends with the naming of it with a word. Meaningful
information is recognized much faster and more accurately with visual presentation. So, several
shapeless spots are immediately recognized as a figure; you need to name it.
The third eyewitness is Mr. Manu Mulipola. He did not see the incident but did he saw
the offender running from Stapleton Street and down Ludlow Drive. He saw a woman wearing
dark clothes ran past him into Tamworth Grove. He was shown mugshots on February 16th but
picked no one out of the mugshots. Mr. Mulipola's objectivity and integrity of perception are
low. His memorization and reproduction are also low. First, unlike Mr. Smith, he just heard the
shouts and saw the woman running. He was also relatively far from the crime scene, and hence,
the accuracy of his vision is significantly affected. Particular difficulties are associated with the
perception of the distance to the observed object. When perceiving space, witnesses and victims
may experience the above illusions (for example, well-lit, bright objects against dark background
seem closer). That is why Mr. Manu Mulipola was able to perceive the dark clothes only. The

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objectivity of his perception is weak. Objectivity is manifested in the selection of an observed
object from the background. Lack of objectivity and integrity in perception justifies why Mr.
Manu Mulipola could not memorize or reproduce the offender's descriptions. That is why he
couldn't identify Ms. Chester from the mugshots.
The fourth eyewitness is Mrs. Dipti Patel. At the time of the incident, Mrs. Patel was
‘cashing up' ready to close shop. When she heard the commotion outside, she secured the till and
ran to the door. At the door, she managed to see the woman run past her. Mrs. Patel picked Ms.
Chester from the mugshots on 18th February and again in a video ID parade on the 23rd
February.
Analysis and Conclusion
Based on the four eyewitness testimonies, it is clear that identification evidence is not
enough to justify that Ms. Chester is the perpetrator of the assault. Although Mrs. Patel and Mr.
Smith picked Ms. Chester from the mugshots, the objectivity, integrity, and sensitivity of their
perception are not accurate. First, the objectivity, integrity, and subtlety of perception of Mrs.
Patel is likely to be negatively influenced by the distance. From the exhibit 2, it is clear that the
distance between the convenience store and the intersection between Ludlow drive and Stapleton
Street is several meters away, and this could hinder the visual perception.
On the other hand, the objectivity, integrity, and comprehension of Mr. Smith perception
is likely to be negatively influenced by many factors. It is also important to note that many
factors can affect memorization. The first factor is the state of the body. If the person is tired, his
perception will be negatively affected. Also, if the person is absorbed in his thoughts, his
judgment will be adversely affected.

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Given that the incident took place at 7:55 pm, it is sound to conclude that at that time,
Mr. Smith was tired, and his memory and perception could be affected. Also, human
temperament (people remember better slow, calm) affect the memorization and reproduction.
The testimony given by Mr. Smith suggests that his mood was not good because he was with her
granddaughter and hence was not calm when the offender assaulted him in front of her daughter.
The involvement of a witness in the criminal justice process causes a unique mental state due to
increased responsibility for their actions. He sensitively, often against the background of
increased anxiety, reacts to the nature of the questions of the investigator; mental processes
acquire a selective, sharply selective orientation. The fact that Mr. Smith could not identify a
pink nose stud in the shape of a flower suggests that sensitivity and integrity of his perception
was not strong. Mr. Smith’s and Mrs. Patel are vulnerable to bona fide errors. At the stages of
perception, memorization and preservation and reproduction of testimonies, the witness and the
victim are affected by objective and subjective factors that affect their quality, causing the loss of
information about the event. This phenomenon was called the bona fide error of the interrogated,
i.e. not intentional communication during the interrogation of information that is not true.
Overcoming a bona fide delusion is facilitated by the investigator’s knowledge of the patterns of
the testimony formation process, taking into account the individual characteristics of the
personality of the interrogated person, and mastery of techniques for overcoming it.

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References
Houston, K. A., Hope, L., Memon, A., & Don Read, J. (2013). Expert Testimony on Eyewitness
Evidence: In Search of Common Sense. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 31(5), 637–651.
https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.2080
Jiang, L., & Luo, D. (2016). Legal Professionals’ Knowledge of Eyewitness Testimony in China:
A Cross-Sectional Survey. PLoS ONE, 11(2), 1–8.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148116
Larson, R. P., Goldfarb, D., & Goodman, G. S. (2015). Introduction to this Issue: Children’s
Eyewitness Memory and Testimony in Context. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 33(4),
367–371. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.2196
Walker, S. (2013). Drawing on Daubert: Bringing Reliability to the Forefront in the
Admissibility of Eyewitness Identification Testimony. Emory Law Journal, 62(4), 1205–
1242. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=a9h&AN=89013526&site=ehost-live

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Appendices
Appendix 1: Exhibit