Lineup administrator influences on eyewitness identification decisions.

Full Abstract

The present research examines how a lineup administrator may influence eyewitness identification decisions through different forms of influence, after providing the witness with standard, unbiased instructions. Participant-witnesses viewed a staged crime and were later shown a target-present or target-absent lineup. The lineup administrators either remained silent while the witness examined the lineup, made ostensibly cautionary statements to the witness, or prompted the witness to identify the person in the lineup who seemed most similar to the perpetrator. These two forms of influence, denoted as subtle-influence and similarity-influence conditions, led to different patterns of identification results. Results for the similarity-influence condition were generally consistent with criterion shift and relative judgment models of eyewitness decision making. Results for the subtle-influence condition, however, cannot be explained by alterations in the decision rule. A weighted matching model is outlined to explain results from the subtle-influence condition. Witnesses seemed generally unaware of the attempts by the lineup administrator to influence their decision, although some noted it, and the probative value of suspect identifications was lower for those who did note it. Implications for theory and policy are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved).

Author information

Author/s: Clark, Steven E (SE); Marshall, Tanya E (TE); Rosenthal, Robert (R);

Affiliation: Psychology Department, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA. clark(-atsign-)ucr.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Journal: Journal of experimental psychology. Applied (J Exp Psychol Appl), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Mar; vol 15 (issue 1) : pp 63-75

Dates: Created 2009/03/24; Completed 2009/05/28;

PMID: 19309217, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 5/28/2009, IMS Date: 28 May 2009 00:00:00)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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