How do laypeople judge the credibility of eyewitness testimony? A think-aloud study

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26885003
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Social psychology
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: NABATA Yasuyuki 北海道大学, 文学研究科, 学術研究員 (90733006)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-08-29 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 目撃証言 / 信用性判断 / 情報処理スタイル / プロトコル分析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, it was examined whether or not laypeople’s information processing style (using either rational processing or experiential processing) affects credibility judgment. A computer-based survey was conducted wherein laypeople were asked to think aloud while judging the credibility of testimonies given by a five-year-old and a twenty-year-old. Results revealed that laypeople using the experiential processing style judged by focusing on the eyewitness’s age. In contrast, laypeople using the rational processing style judged from various perspectives, such as by considering the age of the eyewitness as well as other legal evidence.

Free Research Field

社会心理学