Homework answers / question archive / How could I make an adequate reply to my classmate's weekly discussion?    Below is her weekly post:   Good evening class, Recalling memories can prove difficult at times, especially when it comes to testimonies

How could I make an adequate reply to my classmate's weekly discussion?    Below is her weekly post:   Good evening class, Recalling memories can prove difficult at times, especially when it comes to testimonies

Psychology

Share With

---

How could I make an adequate reply to my classmate's weekly discussion? 

 

Below is her weekly post:

 

Good evening class,

Recalling memories can prove difficult at times, especially when it comes to testimonies. Witness and victims have to be subjected to numerous interviews which can make them subject to suggestibility. Time plays a big factor, sometimes investigations take a period of time, and during the long waiting periods they can repress memories. Some members would prefer to just move past incidents, repress the memories and move on with their lives. 

Members who have to testify in courts tend to get really nervous on the stand, which could end up blocking their memories. It's a vulnerable state as they feel anxious, all eyes on them, they worry about the courts perception of them. They have a defense counsel attacking their character, their recollection of an incident, or having them contradict themselves. This can cause them to become absentminded and open to suggestibility on the stand. This can cause them to unknowingly produce false testimony or even interview. As Dr. Elizabeth Loftus confirmed, leads to wrongly accusing a member because they grasp at what is now subconsciously implanted in their memory storage. So when they go to pull from their memory they tend to gravitate towards what seems familiar to them, even if they can't place where they have seen a face, heard a voice, or even subliminal words that they feel connect the dots. Memories can make or break a case. Investigators try to interview as soon as possible while the memories are fresh. As it has proven over time they deteriorate or become repressed. Attorneys later re-watch/listen to interviews and proceed with refresher interviews. As I stated before though, subjected to multiple interviews, they open themselves to suggestibility. Because even if you have prepared them, or making them aware, one of the number one tactics for attorneys, investigators, and even paralegals is to build rapport to allow for an interviewee to relax and let their guard down.