Mind, Memory, and Mystery: The Science of Eyewitnesses

Course Description

Welcome to the world of forensic psychology, where we examine the intersection of psychology and law! In this course, students will be detectives of the mind as they explore how memory works and how it can mislead us. Through mini experiments, activities, and case studies, students will investigate the role of eyewitnesses in the legal system.

Throughout the course, we’ll answer questions such as:
• How accurate is our memory?
• Why do people remember the same event differently?
• What factors influence memory and lead to misidentifications in eyewitness testimonies?
• How do misidentifications lead to wrongful convictions?
• How do juries evaluate eyewitness testimonies?
• Do eyewitness testimonies influence juror decisions?

We will explore the psychology of memory, attention, and perception through cases where eyewitness testimonies played a big role in the outcome, and students will also test their own eyewitness abilities in fun identification tasks. Additionally, we’ll examine how question wording, bias, stress, and time affect our memories and what we think we’ve witnessed, and how this impacts fairness in the legal system.

By the end of the week, students will have a deeper understanding of:
• The strengths and weaknesses of eyewitness identification
• How researchers study eyewitnesses to improve eyewitness accuracy
• The impact of eyewitness identification on wrongful convictions
• How researchers study memory
• How science helps to build a more just society

This course is perfect for students interested in psychology, law, memory, or just understanding how our brain shapes our perception of reality. Get ready to challenge what you think you know and discover the science behind what eyewitnesses see and don’t see…