Alternatives to the sequential lineup: the importance of controlling the pictures.
Because sequential lineups reduce false-positive choices, their use has been recommended (R. C. L. Lindsay, 1999; R. C. L. Lindsay & G. L. Wells, 1985). Blind testing is included in the recommended procedures. Police, concerned about blind testing, devised alternative procedures, including self-administered sequential lineups, to reduce use of relative judgments (G. L. Wells, 1984) while permitting the investigating officer to conduct the procedure. Identification data from undergraduates exposed to a staged crime (N = 165) demonstrated that 4 alternative identification procedures tested were less effective than the original sequential lineup. Allowing witnesses to control the photographs resulted in higher rates of false-positive identification. Self-reports of using relative judgments were shown to be postdictive of decision accuracy.
Lindsay
R C
RC
Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. lindsayr@psyc.queensu.ca
Bellinger
K
K
D003415:Crime; D004538:Eidetic Imagery / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D016495:Police; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*