NCJ Number
106986
Journal
Law and Human Behavior Volume: 11 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1987) Pages: 167-258
Date Published
1987
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This Study examines the effects of 14 estimator variables (e.g., disguise of robber, exposure time, weapon visibility) and system variables (e.g., lineup instructions, exposure to mugshots) on measures of eyewitness performance.
Abstract
These measures include identification accuracy, choosing rates, confidence in lineup choice, relation between confidence and identification accuracy, memory for peripheral details, memory for physical characteristics of target, and time estimates. Subjects viewed a videotaped reenactment of an armed robbery and later attempted an identification. Characteristics of the videotape and lineup task were manipulated. Prominent findings were as follows: identification accuracy was affected by both estimator and system variables including disguise of robber, weapon visibility, elaboration instructions, and lineup instructions. Memory for peripheral details was positively correlated with choosing on the identification task but negatively correlated with identification accuracy. 2 tables and approximately 75 references. (Author abstract modified)