Selective Attention/Hay
How does selective attention affect memory?
Due to limited capacity, we only remember certain aspects of an event and forget others.
How was Cotton exonerated?
Bobby Poole confessed to the crime and DNA evidence was used to corroborate this.
What was the nickname of the true offender that Cole was mistaken as? Explain the logic behind the nickname.
Tech rapist, he had raped multiple women near Texas Tech University
What year was Leighton Hay exonerated in?
2014
What was the example used to explain the misinformation effect?
Investigators can be suggestive in their questioning, in a way that changes the way people remember an event.
Which estimator variable was present in the Cole case? Provide a brief definition.
The cross race effect explains that the people of your race tend to be more distinctive to you, and so a person of another race is not as easily recognizable
What key detail points to the Hay case being an example of selective attention?
The eyewitness only remembered that the shooter had a 'gaunt face' but forgot other crucial details, which led to a misidentification.
Explain how Cotton's case is an example of the Misinformation Effect theory.
Thompson's memory was altered in the process of repeatedly having to identify and testify against Cotton. Thompson’s confidence was also enhanced with each time she was told to identify him, which cues to the subtle reconstruction of her memory.
Define system variables and estimator variables, and provide an example for each.
System variables are controlled by the criminal justice system, while estimator variables are not. (examples will vary)