The effect of facial composite construction on eyewitness identification accuracy in an ecologically valid paradigm.

TY - JOUR

T1 - The effect of facial composite construction on eyewitness identification accuracy in an ecologically valid paradigm.

AU - Pike, Graham E.

AU - Brace, Nicola A.

AU - Turner, Jim

AU - Vredeveldt, A.

PY - 2019/2/1

Y1 - 2019/2/1

N2 - Previous research has produced equivocal results with regard to whether facial composite creation affects subsequent eyewitness identification accuracy, but the most widely publicized view is that creating a composite impairs the ability to later recognize the perpetrator from a line-up. In our first experiment, we examined this effect using several ecologically valid elements including a live staged crime, trained police officers, and a long delay between construction and identification, albeit with only a short delay between crime and composite construction. Composite construction did not significantly affect line-up identification accuracy. Experiment 2 replicated this result using a laboratory-based design and sequential line-up task, eliminating the possibly confounding effect of differential levels of motivation and relative judgments. Taken together, the experiments suggest composite creation may not negatively impact subsequent line-up accuracy, regardless of whether an ecologically valid method or more standard laboratory testing was used.

AB - Previous research has produced equivocal results with regard to whether facial composite creation affects subsequent eyewitness identification accuracy, but the most widely publicized view is that creating a composite impairs the ability to later recognize the perpetrator from a line-up. In our first experiment, we examined this effect using several ecologically valid elements including a live staged crime, trained police officers, and a long delay between construction and identification, albeit with only a short delay between crime and composite construction. Composite construction did not significantly affect line-up identification accuracy. Experiment 2 replicated this result using a laboratory-based design and sequential line-up task, eliminating the possibly confounding effect of differential levels of motivation and relative judgments. Taken together, the experiments suggest composite creation may not negatively impact subsequent line-up accuracy, regardless of whether an ecologically valid method or more standard laboratory testing was used.

U2 - 10.1177/0093854818811376

DO - 10.1177/0093854818811376

M3 - Article

VL - 46

SP - 319

EP - 336

JO - Criminal Justice and Behavior

JF - Criminal Justice and Behavior

SN - 0093-8548

IS - 2

ER -