36. In Rosss study on familiarity and eyewitness testimony, participants watched films featuring either a male or female teacher, followed by a robbery scene. Why was the male teachers photo included in the subsequent photo spread?
Answer: C
The inclusion of the male teacher's photo was to examine the effect of familiarity on participants' likelihood of incorrectly identifying him as the robber.
The study aimed to explore how familiarity with an individual could influence eyewitness identification accuracy. By including the male teacher's photo in the lineup, the researchers could assess whether participants were more prone to misidentify him due to their prior exposure.
A) To test participants' ability to identify the male teacher as the robber accurately
This option is incorrect because the primary goal was not to test accurate identification of the male teacher as the robber, but rather to investigate how familiarity could lead to misidentification. The focus was on the likelihood of error rather than accuracy.
B) To distract participants in the experimental group, reducing their accuracy in identifying the male teacher
This option is also incorrect as the inclusion of the male teacher's photo was not intended as a distraction. The study aimed to understand the impact of familiarity, rather than deliberately confusing participants to lower their identification accuracy.
C) To examine the effect of familiarity on participants' likelihood of incorrectly identifying the male teacher as the robber
This is the correct answer, as it directly aligns with the study's purpose. The researchers wanted to see if seeing the male teacher before the robbery scene would lead participants to mistakenly identify him in the photo spread due to a sense of familiarity.
D) To investigate the impact of prior exposure to the male teacher on participants' ability to identify the robber
While this option touches on prior exposure, it is somewhat misleading. The primary investigation was centered on how that exposure might lead to incorrect identifications rather than simply measuring the identification ability itself.
Conclusion
The correct option, C, accurately reflects the study's objective of assessing how familiarity influences misidentification in eyewitness testimony. Options A and B misinterpret the study's aims, while D, although somewhat related, does not capture the specific focus on the likelihood of incorrect identification stemming from familiarity. Thus, option C stands out as the most relevant and precise answer regarding the research conducted.