Memory accuracy, suggestibility and credibility in investigative interviews with native and non-native eyewitnesses
Legal practitioners sometimes obtain eyewitness testimonies from non-native language speakers, yet few studies examine the effects of language in investigative interviews. Here, we investigate how testifying in a non-native vs. native language affects memory accuracy, susceptibility to suggestions,...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1240822/full |
| _version_ | 1827860897835515904 |
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| author | Arman Raver Torun Lindholm Philip U. Gustafsson Charlotte Alm |
| author_facet | Arman Raver Torun Lindholm Philip U. Gustafsson Charlotte Alm |
| author_sort | Arman Raver |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Legal practitioners sometimes obtain eyewitness testimonies from non-native language speakers, yet few studies examine the effects of language in investigative interviews. Here, we investigate how testifying in a non-native vs. native language affects memory accuracy, susceptibility to suggestions, and witnesses perceived credibility. After viewing a mock-crime film, participants in Study 1 (N = 121) testified through (1) free recall, (2) cued recall and (3) the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scales adapted to the crime scenario used in the present study either in their native (Swedish) or a non-native (English) language. They also rated their confidence in their memories, self-perceived credibility and cognitive effort. Native and non-native witnesses did not differ in memory accuracy, susceptibility to suggestions, self-rated credibility or cognitive effort. Non-native (vs. native) speakers did however report lower confidence in their memories. In Study 2, another group of participants (N = 202) were presented with the testimonies from Study 1, and judged witnesses’ credibility. Non-native witnesses were judged as less credible than native speakers. Thus, while the lower confidence exhibited by non-native eyewitnesses did not correspond to their actual memory accuracy, it influenced observers’ judgments of their performance. The results provide important knowledge for legal practices when evaluating the reliability of testimonies from non-native vs. native speaking eyewitnesses. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:29:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-73c4c533135741058dd377e1540095e4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:29:29Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-73c4c533135741058dd377e1540095e42023-08-24T21:53:08ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782023-08-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.12408221240822Memory accuracy, suggestibility and credibility in investigative interviews with native and non-native eyewitnessesArman RaverTorun LindholmPhilip U. GustafssonCharlotte AlmLegal practitioners sometimes obtain eyewitness testimonies from non-native language speakers, yet few studies examine the effects of language in investigative interviews. Here, we investigate how testifying in a non-native vs. native language affects memory accuracy, susceptibility to suggestions, and witnesses perceived credibility. After viewing a mock-crime film, participants in Study 1 (N = 121) testified through (1) free recall, (2) cued recall and (3) the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scales adapted to the crime scenario used in the present study either in their native (Swedish) or a non-native (English) language. They also rated their confidence in their memories, self-perceived credibility and cognitive effort. Native and non-native witnesses did not differ in memory accuracy, susceptibility to suggestions, self-rated credibility or cognitive effort. Non-native (vs. native) speakers did however report lower confidence in their memories. In Study 2, another group of participants (N = 202) were presented with the testimonies from Study 1, and judged witnesses’ credibility. Non-native witnesses were judged as less credible than native speakers. Thus, while the lower confidence exhibited by non-native eyewitnesses did not correspond to their actual memory accuracy, it influenced observers’ judgments of their performance. The results provide important knowledge for legal practices when evaluating the reliability of testimonies from non-native vs. native speaking eyewitnesses.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1240822/fullinvestigative interviewconfidence-accuracy relationshipmemory accuracysuggestibilitycredibility judgmentlanguage barrier |
| spellingShingle | Arman Raver Torun Lindholm Philip U. Gustafsson Charlotte Alm Memory accuracy, suggestibility and credibility in investigative interviews with native and non-native eyewitnesses Frontiers in Psychology investigative interview confidence-accuracy relationship memory accuracy suggestibility credibility judgment language barrier |
| title | Memory accuracy, suggestibility and credibility in investigative interviews with native and non-native eyewitnesses |
| title_full | Memory accuracy, suggestibility and credibility in investigative interviews with native and non-native eyewitnesses |
| title_fullStr | Memory accuracy, suggestibility and credibility in investigative interviews with native and non-native eyewitnesses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Memory accuracy, suggestibility and credibility in investigative interviews with native and non-native eyewitnesses |
| title_short | Memory accuracy, suggestibility and credibility in investigative interviews with native and non-native eyewitnesses |
| title_sort | memory accuracy suggestibility and credibility in investigative interviews with native and non native eyewitnesses |
| topic | investigative interview confidence-accuracy relationship memory accuracy suggestibility credibility judgment language barrier |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1240822/full |
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