Lesson 6.4.1

6.4.1 Key question: eyewitness testimony and jury bias Quiz: Pearson Edexcel Psychology, Unit 6

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 6.4.1, Key question: eyewitness testimony and jury bias: 20 multiple choice questions for the Pearson Edexcel Psychology (9PS0), Unit 6: Criminological psychology, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which key question is given in the specification as an example for criminological psychology?

    • Is cognitive behaviour therapy better than mindfulness?
    • Is eye-witness testimony too unreliable to trust?
    • Is the Strange Situation a valid test of attachment?
    • Should children be given medication for autism?

  2. Which key question is also given as a suitable example in the specification?

    • Should prisons be replaced with schools?
    • Should jury bias lead to the abolishment of juries?
    • Should all offenders receive biological treatment?
    • Should DSM be abandoned in favour of ICD?

  3. What does the specification ask students to treat a key issue as?

    • A contemporary issue for society rather than a purely academic argument
    • A matter for legal courts alone
    • A question that can only be answered by a laboratory test
    • A purely historical argument with no present relevance

  4. What does it mean to draw on concepts and research from criminological psychology in discussing a key issue?

    • Summarising a newspaper article without reference to theory
    • Using concepts from other subjects only
    • Applying relevant theories and studies from the specification to the chosen question
    • Writing only personal opinions with no evidence

  5. Which factor is relevant to whether eyewitness testimony can be trusted?

    • Reliability affected by post-event information and weapon focus
    • The name of the witness's school
    • Eye colour of the witness
    • The shape of the courtroom windows

  6. A critic argues that eyewitness testimony should never be used in court. Which response is most balanced?

    • Testimony is always perfect and needs no safeguards
    • Testimony is irrelevant to any trial
    • Testimony is vulnerable to distortion, but safeguards and careful procedures can improve its use
    • Testimony should be used without any questioning at all

  7. Which evidence would be most relevant to the key question about jury bias?

    • Studies of the cost of printing court forms
    • Studies of plant growth in different soils
    • Studies showing that characteristics of the defendant or pre-trial publicity affect juror judgements
    • Studies of how fast people can type

  8. Why might critics argue that jury bias supports abolishing juries?

    • Because bias only affects the judge in the case
    • Because juries are the cheapest form of court
    • Because jurors are always the same people
    • If bias systematically distorts verdicts, the jury system may fail to deliver fair trials

  9. Which counter-argument would defend the use of juries?

    • Juries are never influenced by any factor
    • Juries always reach the same verdict regardless of evidence
    • Juries have no role in any legal system
    • Juries bring community judgement to trials and safeguards can reduce bias

  10. What is a limitation of using laboratory evidence alone when discussing the key question about eyewitnesses?

    • Laboratory evidence is always more ecologically valid than real evidence
    • Laboratory evidence removes all ethical issues
    • Laboratory evidence has no value for any question
    • Laboratory conditions may not capture the stress and complexity of real crimes

  11. Which type of evidence best addresses whether eyewitness testimony is too unreliable to trust in real trials?

    • Field studies and research on real-world identifications, combined with laboratory studies
    • Only the personal views of individual lawyers
    • Only theories with no data
    • Only opinions from members of the public

  12. A student argues that eyewitness testimony should be discounted because one witness was wrong. What is the main flaw in this argument?

    • One error shows that all evidence should be accepted
    • One error proves that every witness is always wrong
    • One error does not show that testimony is always unreliable, so a generalisation has been made from one case
    • One error is irrelevant to any discussion

  13. What is the best way to structure a discussion of a key question in criminological psychology?

    • List facts without any reasoning or conclusion
    • Give one view only and ignore the evidence
    • Present competing views, evaluate the evidence for each and reach a reasoned conclusion
    • Avoid referring to any research at all

  14. Why should a discussion of 'should jury bias lead to the abolishment of juries?' consider alternatives to abolition?

    • Alternatives are never worth considering in any question
    • Alternatives only matter for civil cases in courts
    • The only alternative is to stop all trials
    • Safeguards such as judicial directions or improved procedures may reduce bias without removing juries

  15. Which contemporary issue links eyewitness research to wider society?

    • Trends in the popularity of board games
    • Changes in the price of petrol at garages
    • The design of city parks
    • Miscarriages of justice that can result from unreliable identifications

  16. Which social concern is raised by jury bias research?

    • Fairness in trials and the protection of defendants from prejudice
    • The number of meals served in court canteens
    • The speed of court delivery services
    • The colour of the public seating

  17. A discussion of the key question on eyewitness testimony uses the weapon focus effect. What is the main value of this evidence?

    • It shows that weapon focus has no relevance to real crime
    • It shows that attention to a weapon can reduce the reliability of recall for other details
    • It shows that weapons always make witnesses more accurate
    • It proves that all witnesses are unaware of weapons

  18. Which strongest statement could appear in a balanced conclusion about jury decision-making?

    • Juries are always biased and must be abolished now
    • Juries have no effect on any verdict
    • Bias can affect jury decisions, so reforms and safeguards should be evaluated before deciding on abolition
    • Juries are perfectly unbiased and need no reform

  19. A critic says eyewitness testimony should be discounted because memory can be altered. What is a fair point to make in response?

    • Witnesses are never asked questions by police
    • Memory can be altered by post-event information, which is a real reason for careful safeguards
    • Witnesses always remember events exactly as they happened
    • Testimony is always recorded on video so errors cannot occur

  20. Which factor would a discussion of jury bias need to consider about the evidence heard at trial?

    • The number of windows in the court building
    • The speed of the court's internet connection
    • Whether jurors can set aside prior beliefs when directed by the judge to decide on the evidence
    • The colour of the carpet in the courtroom

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