title: Four heads are better than one: combining face composites yields improvements in face likeness.
abstract: Four participants constructed face composites, of familiar and unfamiliar targets, using Pro-Fit, with reference images present or from memory. The "mean" of all 4 composites, created by morphing (4-morph) was rated as a better likeness than individual composites on average and was as good as the best individual likeness. When participants attempted to identify targets from line-ups, 4-morphs again performed as well as the best individual composite. In a second experiment, participants familiar with target women attempted to identify composites, and the trend showed better recognition from multiple composites, whether combined or shown together. In a line-up task with unfamiliar participants, 4-morphs produced most correct choices and fewest false positives from target-absent or target-present arrays. These results have practical implications for the way evidence from different witnesses is used in police investigations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom. Vicki.Bruce@stir.ac.uk
authors.forename: Vicki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bruce
authors.forename: Hayley
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ness
authors.forename: Peter J B
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Hancock
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rarity
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003415:Crime; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D014796:Visual Perception