ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses adult eyewitness memory, as child eyewitness memory. It focuses on methods of studying memory of cooperative witnesses as opposed to suspects or non-cooperative witnesses who have a motivation to conceal information or to lie. The chapter describes the methodology of misinformation and suggestibility paradigms, which are covered by H. Otgaar, T. L. Houben, and Mark L. Howe. It focuses on the study of spontaneously reported false information and the source-monitoring paradigms used to assess witnesses' abilities to disentangle the various sources of their memories. The chapter provides a sampling of the more common methodological considerations and improvements that can strongly enhance the applicability of eyewitness research to legal settings. Despite popular media portrayals that emphasize the importance of physical evidence in criminal cases, the successful resolution of many real-world criminal investigations relies primarily or solely on eyewitness evidence.
