Psychology of testimony in the judicial process: Analysis of the reliability of eye-witness testimony [Psicología del testimonio en el proceso judicial: Análisis de la fiabilidad del testimonio ocular]
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62574/13q98036Keywords:
social psychology, legal procedure, legal decisionsAbstract
The research aims to analyse the psychology of testimony in the judicial process from the point of view of the reliability of eyewitness testimony. Legal documentary analysis has been used, including a review of 14 published scientific articles. The analysis of the psychology of testimony in the judicial process, focusing on the reliability of eyewitness testimony, reveals the complexity and multitude of factors that can influence the accuracy of witnesses' recollections. Cognitive biases, such as confirmation bias and the effect of subsequent information, can significantly distort witness memory, underscoring the need for judicial operators to recognise and mitigate these biases. Observational conditions, such as lighting, duration of the event and stress, must be carefully considered to fairly assess the reliability of testimony.
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