Abstract
Abstract Within the legal system an assumption exists that witness testimonies should be independent of one another; however the evidence suggests that this is frequently not the case. Witnesses commonly discuss the event with each other. It is important to determine the effects of cowitness information on the validity of eyewitness testimony. It is generally recognized that discussion between witnesses can be detrimental; the possibility of false information (or information that the participant never saw) entering recall is a key concern. We review the prevalence of cowitness discussion, legal opinions about cowitness discussion, and finally experimental research investigating the effects of discussion on eyewitness memory. We also provide some suggestions of how to prevent cowitness discussion and contamination of testimony.
Published Version
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