"In general, someone who makes a specific accusation that can be disproven if not true probably isn't making it up.
"
On what do you base this?
Honestly, i'd say that in court, the percent time people (be they cops, witnesses, you name it) make specific accusations that can be disproven, and are making it up, is in the 20-30% range, at least. These are on a witness stand, too. I'm just going by those things objectively disproven later (IE literally could not have occurred as the person says. Not "can't tell what really happened, video too fuzzy").
Outside of court situations with repercussions, i'd expect the number to be much higher not much lower.
"I know we can all recall specific times when this hasn't been true. But as a general rule it works, "
This is handwaving. Really.
This is "well, you might think it's wrong, but i'm telling you it's not with no data to back me up".
There's a reason "eyewitness testimony" has it's credibility judged by a jury, is not taken as fact, and is pretty much the lowest form of evidence there is:
it's because it's the most often wrong.
On what do you base this?
Honestly, i'd say that in court, the percent time people (be they cops, witnesses, you name it) make specific accusations that can be disproven, and are making it up, is in the 20-30% range, at least. These are on a witness stand, too. I'm just going by those things objectively disproven later (IE literally could not have occurred as the person says. Not "can't tell what really happened, video too fuzzy"). Outside of court situations with repercussions, i'd expect the number to be much higher not much lower.
"I know we can all recall specific times when this hasn't been true. But as a general rule it works, "
This is handwaving. Really. This is "well, you might think it's wrong, but i'm telling you it's not with no data to back me up".
There's a reason "eyewitness testimony" has it's credibility judged by a jury, is not taken as fact, and is pretty much the lowest form of evidence there is: it's because it's the most often wrong.