The effect of selective attention on eyewitness accuracy

The effect of selective attention on eyewitness accuracy was investigated. The present study shows that attending to certain stimuli makes them more available in memory, and therefore easily retrieved. One group of subjects was asked to predict the outcome of an incomplete court case. The other group rated ten books on a variety of characteristics. Three of these books were later utilized in an eyewitness scenario. Both groups subsequently witnessed an individual entering a classroom carrying the books and making an announcement. A questionnaire was then completed about the individual as well as embedded questions about the books. Significantly more correct answers about the books were given by the "book" group than the control subjects, (F(2,63)=3.2991,p=.0434). Thus selective attention could have an effect on eyewitness accuracy. Depending on individual circumstances, this may have significant value in differentiating a good witness from a bad one in any given situation.