Lineup identification accuracy: the effects of alcohol, target presence, confidence ratings, and response time

Translated title of the contribution: La precisión de la identificación en las ruedas de reconocimiento: efectos del alcohol, la presencia del objetivo, la valoración de la confianza y el tiempo de respuesta

Wendy Kneller, Alistair J. Harvey

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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Abstract

Despite the intoxication of many eyewitnesses at crime scenes, only four published studies to date have investigated the effects of alcohol intoxication on eyewitness identification performance. While one found intoxication significantly increased false identification rates from target absent showups, three found no such effect using the more traditional lineup procedure. The present study sought to further explore the effects of alcohol intoxication on identification performance and examine whether accurate decisions from intoxicated witnesses could be postdicted by confidence and response times. One hundred and twenty participants engaged in a study examining the effects of intoxication (control, placebo, and mild intoxication) and target presence on identification performance. Participants viewed a simultaneous lineup one week after watching a mock crime video of a man attempting to steal cars. Ethanol intoxication (0.6 ml/kg) was found to make no significant difference to identification accuracy and such identifications from intoxicated individuals were made no less confidently or slowly than those from sober witnesses. These results are discussed with respect to the previous research examining intoxicated witness identification accuracy and the misconceptions the criminal justice system holds about the accuracy of such witnesses.
Translated title of the contributionLa precisión de la identificación en las ruedas de reconocimiento: efectos del alcohol, la presencia del objetivo, la valoración de la confianza y el tiempo de respuesta
Original languageSpanish
Pages (from-to)11-18
JournalThe European Journal of Psychology Applied to Legal Context
Volume8
Issue number1
Early online date19 Nov 2015
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2016
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Alcohol intoxication
  • eyewitness identification accuracy
  • confidence
  • decision times

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