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Limitations of human memory
A great deal of controversy has surrounded the phenomenon of false memory syndrome, and the implications that it has had in our society, particularly in the legal realm. One of the most influential psychologists in the area of memory and eye witness testimony is Dr. Elizabeth Loftus, who has spent three decades as a research psychologist and memory expert in legal cases.
Based on the points that the Loftus article brings up and your readings and research this week respond to the following:
What kind of implications do particular limitations of human memory have on the use of eye-witness testimony in criminal and civil court cases?
Example.
It is common knowledge that psychologists have long been concerned about using eyewitness testimony in the courtroom, even though eyewitness accounts and identifications play an essential role in investigating and prosecuting crimes (Albrighta, 2017). In (Wang et al., 2018), it is maintained that one of the primary issues associated with using eyewitness testimony in civil and criminal cases is false memory (human memory limitation). This is a psychological phenomenon that almost everyone experiences and is frequently referred to as a memory of an event that never took place. It involves an individual, like an eyewitness, providing a false memory of their mental experience based on integrating new information about an event or relevant existing knowledge, which is frequently generated to avoid bias and miss information.
