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Effects of cannabis on eyewitness memory: A field study
Annelies Vredeveldt1, Steve D Charman2, Aukje den Blanken1
1Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands.
Applied Cognitive Psychology
|August 3, 2018
Summary
Cannabis use impairs eyewitness memory recall of crime details but does not affect lineup identification accuracy. However, intoxicated witnesses were better at judging their identification accuracy.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Forensic Science
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Cannabis is frequently used by individuals who may later serve as eyewitnesses.
- Limited research exists on cannabis's impact on eyewitness memory.
- Understanding these effects is crucial for the justice system.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of cannabis on eyewitness recall and lineup identification.
- To assess cannabis's influence on memory accuracy and identification confidence.
Main Methods:
- 120 coffee shop visitors in Amsterdam participated.
- Participants viewed a videotaped crime, were interviewed, and completed a lineup.
- Cannabis use was assessed, and recall/identification performance was measured.
Main Results:
- Cannabis users recalled fewer correct details than sober individuals.
- Incorrect recall did not differ between groups.
- Cannabis use did not significantly affect lineup identification accuracy.
- Intoxicated witnesses showed improved accuracy judgment for their identifications.
Conclusions:
- Cannabis impairs the quantity of accurate eyewitness recall.
- It does not significantly hinder the ability to identify perpetrators from lineups.
- Cannabis intoxication may enhance self-awareness of identification accuracy.
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