NCJ Number
50935
Journal
JOURNAL OF BROADCASTING Volume: 21 Issue: 4 Dated: (AUTUMN 1977) Pages: 487-495
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
TO DETERMINE EFFECTS OF TELEVISION CAMERAS ON WITNESS TESTIMONY, A STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN A SIMULATED COURT ATMOSPHERE AND SUBJECTS WERE QUESTIONED WHILE FACING AN OBVIOUS CAMERA, A HIDDEN CAMERA, OR NO CAMERA AT ALL.
Abstract
THE 36 VOLUNTEER SUBJECTS WERE SHOWN A BRIEF FILM CONTAINING RATHER DETAILED INFORMATION AND ASKED SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONTENT OF THE FILMS. THEY FACED AN OBTRUSIVE TELEVISION CAMERA WHICH WAS PURPORTEDLY RECORDING THEIR ANSWERS FOR LARGE-SCALE VIEWING, OR A HIDDEN CAMERA, OR NO CAMERA AT ALL. IT WAS PREDICTED THAT PARTICIPANTS FACING THE CAMERAS WOULD RECALL SIGNIFICANTLY LESS CORRECT INFORMATION ABOUT THE FILM. ANSWERS WERE RECORDED AND THE INFORMATION WAS CODED AND ANALYZED. RESULTS SHOWED THAT SUBJECTS FACING OBTRUSIVE CAMERAS INCLUDED MORE CORRECT INFORMATION IN THEIR ANSWERS THAN DID THOSE SUBJECTS IN EITHER OF THE OTHER TWO CONDITIONS, AND GAVE LONGER ANSWERS WHICH WERE GENERATED MORE QUICKLY AFTER THE QUESTION WAS ASKED. THE STUDY DOES NOT SUPPORT THE ASSUMPTION THAT A PERSON'S MEMORY FAILS WHEN FORCED TO FACE A CAMERA, AND IN FACT, THE DATA INDICATE THAT PRESENCE OF A TELEVISION CAMERA MIGHT INDUCE LONGER AND MORE CORRECT ANSWERS. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)