title: Is age irrelevant? Perceptions of young and old adult eyewitnesses.
abstract: In Experiment 1, we videotaped elderly and younger adults (n = 69) reporting their memories of a crime video. The seniors were significantly less accurate than the younger adults. In Experiment 2, participants viewed the "testimony" videotapes and rated the elderly as less credible than the younger adults. In Experiment 3, participant-jurors (n = 302) evaluated transcribed testimonies provided by Experiment 1 participants. The ostensible age of the witnesses was manipulated. Thus, some participants read a senior's testimony believing it was provided by a younger adult and vice versa. Participants were apparently not biased by negative stereotypes of seniors' eyewitness capabilities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, British Colombia, Canada.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Brimacombe
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Quinton
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nance
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Garrioch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001290:Attitude; D003415:Crime / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D013240:Stereotyping