Faculty Mentor: Kara Moore (Psychology, University of Utah)

Eyewitness misidentification has been the leading cause of convictions where the individual was later exonerated using DNA (252 out of 367) (Innocence Project, 2020). This is despite each one of the eyewitnesses interviewed expressing high levels of confidence when making those identifications (Garrett, 2011). Given the nature of lineup processes, there is a delay in time between when an eyewitness observes the actual event, and when they are asked to identify the potential perpetrator (Schuster, 2007). This process suggests a reliance on one’s strength of memory. Even if one were to perceive an event entirely accurately, if memory is not reliable, nor will be the recollection of the event and the potential perpetrators involved. Our research investigated individuals’ strength of memory, showing individuals a mock crime video, followed by a lineup after a duration of time.

Summary

Our study involved participants putting on a virtual reality headset to view a mock-crime video. The mock-crime that occurred involved two characters stealing shopping bags from the main character. We chose to have participants view the video using virtual reality headsets in an attempt to create as realistic conditions as possible, without an actual crime occurring. Upon completion of the video, participants were aided in removing the headsets so they could complete the follow-up survey. The survey began with examples to ensure proper understanding of the processes to come. Following the examples, participants were shown two separate six-person lineups with the perpetrators picture potentially in the lineup. They were asked to select the perpetrator’s picture, if they believed they were in the lineup, or a red X if they believed the perpetrator’s face was not in the lineup. Immediately following each of these lineups, participants indicated confidence regarding their selection in the lineup, on a confidence scale ranging from 1-4. We ran adult participants through our lab space at the University of Utah, and both adult and child participants at a children’s museum and art museum. We found individuals’ strength of memory to be poor, indicating a lack of reliability in correctly remembering perpetrators’ faces. As we utilized a mock crime video and lineup for this investigation, our findings bear extreme relevance for the reliance on eyewitness identification in criminal investigations. Our results encourage a need for further investigation on this topic, specifically on individuals’ ability to remember faces while factors such as eyewitness stress during the event, changes in perpetrators clothing and hair style, gaps in time between the witnessing and a lineup, and more, are at play.

Bibliography

Garrett, B. L. (2011). Convicting the innocent: Where criminal prosecutions go wrong.

Harvard University Press. https://doi.org/10.4159/harvard.9780674060982

How eyewitness misidentification can send innocent people to prison. Innocence Project. (2023, April 23). https://innocenceproject.org/how-eyewitness-misidentification-can- send-innocent-people-to-prison/

Schuster, B. (2007). Police lineups: Making eyewitness identification more reliable. National Institute of Justice Journal, 258, 2-9