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Oral Presentation: Police Interviewing and Eyewitness Memory in the Multicultural Context of South Africa

23 June, 2022 @ 4:30 pm - 4:50 pm

Title: Police Interviewing and Eyewitness Memory in the Multicultural Context of South Africa

 Abstract:

Research on investigative interviewing and eyewitness memory has predominantly focused on Western populations, even though we know that memory is shaped by culture. The purpose of this study was to create a theoretical overview of cultural differences and intercultural communication in eyewitness interviews in a multicultural context. Specifically, we focused on the context of South Africa, one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. We conducted a critical review of the relevant literature and organized a focus group with 12 international experts from different academic fields and cultural informants from South Africa. We focused on identifying and deepening our understanding of cultural factors that may play a role in eyewitness interviews. In the discussion of our findings, we will distinguish between (a) cultural differences in eyewitness memory (e.g., self-construal, level of detail, gender and race, storytelling, emotional response) and (b) the interaction between the police interviewer and the eyewitness (e.g., language barriers, high-/low-context culture, power dynamics, miscommunication). This study contributes to our understanding of cultural differences in eyewitness reports and intercultural communication, by systematically collecting and analyzing expert knowledge and situating it within the existing literature.

Details

Date:
23 June, 2022
Time:
4:30 pm - 4:50 pm
Event Category: