Commentary on "Studying eyewitness investigations in the field": a look forward.
Schacter et al. (2007, this issue) address the controversy surrounding an Illinois pilot project that attempted to compare sequential versus simultaneous police lineup formats. The statement by these experts will guide the design and execution of future field lineup experiments. This commentary discusses three aspects of field studies that pose challenges as lineup experiments are interpreted: the imprecise meaning of the dependent measure (eyewitness decisions), the limitations of single studies, and the necessity to devise public policy from incomplete knowledge. A combination of laboratory and field information provides the means to determine best practices in eyewitness identification procedures.
Steblay
Nancy Kay
NK
Department of Psychology, Augsburg College, 2211 Riverside Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA. steblay@augsburg.edu
D019548:Crime Victims; D003418:Criminology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D007062:Identification, Psychological; D007087:Illinois; D012107:Research Design