Zusammenfassung
Dieser Übersichtsartikel stellt den aktuellen Forschungsstand der Rechtspsychologie zu älteren Zeugen dar. Mit zunehmendem Alter werden Wahrnehmung, Gedächtnis und Aussageleistung vieler älteren Zeugen (d.h. Personen über 65 Jahre) beeinträchtigt. Der freie Bericht wird in der Regel kürzer, weniger korrekte und mehr inkorrekte Details werden beschrieben. Älteren Personen müssen oft mehr Fragen zur Klärung eines Sachverhaltes gestellt werden als jungen Zeugen. Auch in Antworten auf Fragen zeigen sich altersbedingte Unterschiede. Versuche, die Aussageleistung von älteren Zeugen zu steigern, z.B. mit dem Kognitiven Interview, sind bisher vielversprechend, benötigen aber Replikation. Es ist bislang unklar, ob ältere Zeugen generell leichter durch Suggestionen beeinflusst werden können als junge. Zumindest in einigen Situationen scheint dies der Fall zu sein.
In der Fotogegenüberstellung zeigen Senioren ähnlich hohe Raten für die korrekte Identifizierung von Tätern, aber höhere Falschalarmraten als junge Erwachsene. Beim Durchsehen von Lichtbildkarteien treffen sie eher eine Wahl als junge Zeugen, was letztlich dazu führen kann, dass sie in der Fotogegenüberstellung auch eher eine möglicherweise falsche Wahl treffen. Mit zunehmendem Alter werden diese Unterschiede zwischen jungen und alten Zeugen größer. Es gibt aber eine beachtliche interindividuelle Variation in der Aussage- und Identifizierungsleistung von älteren Zeugen. Während manche schon früh beeinträchtigt werden, zeigen andere noch gute Leistungen bis ins hohe Alter.
Abstract
This article provides an overview of the current empirical literature concerning older adults as eyewitnesses. Aging affects perception, memory and eyewitness testimony in many older adults (aged 65 years and above). As a group, they provide shorter accounts in free call, fewer correct and more incorrect details. Often they have to be asked more questions than young witnesses in order to obtain the same amount of information. Age differences have also been demonstrated for answers to questions. There are some promising attempts to improve older witnesses’ testimony, such as the Cognitive Interview. However, replication studies are still needed here. It remains unclear if older witnesses are generally more vulnerable to suggestions than young witnesses. There is some evidence that at least in some situations this seems to be the case. In photographic line-ups young and older adults show similar positive identification rates, but older adults have higher false alarm rates. When viewing mug books, older adults are more likely to make a choice than young adults, which can lead to higher rates of possibly false identification in a subsequent line-up. With increasing age age differences between young and old witnesses also increase. However there is considerable interindividual variation in witness performance: some witnesses are impacted by age early-on, while others remain highly functioning until very old age.
Notes
Eine spezielle, gedächtnispsychologisch fundierte Interviewtechnik, bei der durch bestimmte Instruktionen, wie z.B. der Aufforderung, sich mental in das Geschehen hineinzuversetzen oder die Ereignisse aus verschiedenen Perspektiven zu berichten, die Erinnerungsleistung gesteigert werden soll.
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Müller-Johnson, K. Ältere Menschen als Zeugen vor Gericht. Forens Psychiatr Psychol Kriminol 3, 163–170 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11757-009-0012-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11757-009-0012-4