title: The power of contextual effects in forensic anthropology: a study of biasability in the visual interpretations of trauma analysis on skeletal remains.
abstract: The potential for contextual information to bias assessments in the forensic sciences has been demonstrated, in several forensic disiplines. In this paper, biasability potential within forensic anthropology was examined by analyzing the effects of external manipulations on judgments and decision-making in visual trauma assessment. Three separate websites were created containing fourteen identical images. Participants were randomly assigned to one website. Each website provided different contextual information, to assess variation of interpretation of the same images between contexts. The results indicated a higher scoring of trauma identification responses for the Mass grave context. Furthermore, a significant biasing effect was detected in the interpretation of four images. Less experienced participants were more likely to indicate presence of trauma. This research demonstrates bias impact in forensic anthropological trauma assessments and highlights the importance of recognizing and limiting cognitive vulnerabilities that forensic anthropologists might bring to the analysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Security and Crime Science, University College London, 35 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9EZ, U.K.
authors.forename: Sherry
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakhaeizadeh
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dozzi
mesh_terms: D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000293:injuries; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D018732:Forensic Anthropology; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D010781:Photography; D011361:Professional Competence; D011897:Random Allocation; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*
keywords: biasability; contextual effects; decision-making; forensic anthropology; forensic science; trauma assessment