The Handbook of Eyewitness Psychology: Volume I: Memory for Events [Hardcover]

Michael P. Toglia (Editor), J. Don Read (Editor), David F. Ross (Editor), R.C.L. Lindsay (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 13, 2006

The Handbook of Eyewitness Psychology presents a survey of research and  legal opinions from international experts on the rapidly expanding scientific literature addressing the accuracy and limitations of eyewitnesses as a source of evidence for the courts. For the first time, extensive reviews of factors influencing witnesses of all ages-children, adults, and the elderly-are compiled in a single pair of volumes. The disparate research currently being conducted in eyewitness memory in psychology, criminal justice, and legal studies is coherently presented in this work.
 
Controversial topics such as the use of hypnosis, false and recovered memories, the impact of stress, and the accuracy of psychologically impaired witnesses are expertly examined. Leading eyewitness researchers also discuss the subjects of conversational memory, alibi evidence, witness credibility, facial memory, earwitness testimony, lineup theory, and expert testimony. The impact of witness testimony in court is considered, and each volume concludes with a legal commentary chapter.
 
The Handbook of Eyewitness Psychology is an invaluable aid to researchers, legal scholars, and practicing lawyers who need access to the most recent research in the field, accompanied by the interpretations and commentary of many of the world's leading authorities on these topics.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In these terrific volumes many of the world’s most renowned  eyewitness-memory researchers describe the state of the science in a wide variety of domains….they should appeal to a wide audience, from cognitive and social psychologists to legal scholars to those working on the front lines of forensics and the courts." - D. Stephen Lindsay, University of Victoria, Canada

"The Handbook of Eyewitness Psychology provides two authoritative volumes by leaders in this field of research. The volumes concentrate on Memory for Events (I) and Memory for People (II), providing thorough coverage of a huge range of topics. This is an important work, and it belongs on the shelves not only of psychologists interested in these topics, but also in police departments and in the offices of judges, prosecutors and defense lawyers.  The issues surrounding eyewitness testimony are crucial in the criminal justice system and the current pair of volumes provides complete, authoritative and timely contributions." - Henry L. Roediger, III, Washington University in St. Louis, USA

"These are landmark and long overdue volumes…every law enforcement official, every forensic expert, every judge, every criminal and civil trial lawyer will need to have a copy of them on their bookshelves." - Neil Vidmar, Duke University, School of Law, USA

"In the last 30 years researchers around the world have conducted thousands of studies designed to increase our understanding of eyewitness psychology.  Indeed, this is one of the ‘hottest’ topics in the whole of psychology.  Yet in the last ten years very few comprehensive overviews of this increasingly large topic have been published, even though it is of great interest not only to psychologists but to lawyers, police officers and many other professionals…This Handbook provides very exciting and extremely comprehensive yet detailed reviews of dozens of highly relevant issues.  The chapter authors are the leading experts in the world, drawn from several countries.  No other books on this crucial topic have been so substantial.  It is a ‘must read’ for anybody with an interest in eyewitnesses." - Ray Bull, University of Leicester, UK

"To Tell the Truth and Nothing but the Truth... It's Terrific! ... an exhilaratingly satisfying and extremely valuable work that should be in every research library and in the personal book collection of anyone interested in eyewitness psychology or other practical applications of how people remember social events and the people involved in them... a thorough, expert, and well-written compendium of the field." - Maureen O'Sullivan, PsycCRITIQUES

"...a splendid two-volume survey of the state of the art of contemporary eyewitness research... These immaculately edited volumes are a treasure house of contemporary forensic research and thinking which no researcher or serious student of psychology and law can afford to neglect." - Graham Davies, University of Leicester, UK

About the Author

Rod Lindsayis Professor of Psychology, Queen’s University, Canada and Honorary Professor of Psychology, University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He holds a Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Alberta (1982) and conducts empirical studies on issues in the legal system such as eyewitness reliability, police procedures for obtaining eyewitness evidence, methods of obtaining superior evidence from eyewitnesses, and the effects of eyewitness evidence on jurors. He has published more than 50 articles in social science journals and also has published in law journals. He has consulted and testified on eyewitness issues in North America, Europe, and Africa (Rwandan War Crimes Tribunal). He has consulted widely on issues of policy concerning eyewitness identification procedures including being a co-author of the National Institute of Justice publication,Eyewitness Evidence: A Guide for Law Enforcement(1999). He has been extensively involved in training of judges, police, and prosecutors in Canada. 

Product Details

• Hardcover: 720 pages
• Publisher: Psychology Press; 1 edition (November 13, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805851518
• ISBN-13: 978-0805851519
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,533,244 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars LS, May 4, 2010

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This review is from: The Handbook of Eyewitness Psychology: Volume I: Memory for Events (Hardcover)

Overall a comprehensive handbook on the subject, however it has been let down by a poor subject index. Some 29 pages of author index followed by just 5 pages of subject index; surprising for such an encyclopaedic resource. Great addition to a database literature review I performed last year on the subject for post-grad studies, unfortunately I was a little frustrated when trying to search for some items by subject.