The Selection of Distractors and Eyewitness Identification Accuracy

近年来，社会法学学者对目击证人证据和鉴定领域的研究投入了相当多的注意力。 尽管通过排列和照片传播在科学识别方面取得了重大进展，但所有进展都是一种形式，即减少错误识别的可能性，而不会对正确识别（命中）的可能性产生不利影响。 选择干扰物以满足功能或有效尺寸要求一直是降低错误识别率的主要工具。 该项目遵循最近的理论论点，即根据选择干扰因素的策略，功能或有效规模相同的两个阵容可能具有不同程度的有利（有益）异质性，从而导致命中率显着不同。 从理论和试点数据来看，采用最大化嫌疑人和干扰因素之间差异的方法可以提高命中率，从而使目击者更有可能正确识别嫌疑人。 设计了三个实验来充分测试有利的异质性想法，以提高命中率而不增加错误识别率。 这些实验遵循一种基本形式，即为毫无戒心的目击者上演犯罪活动，随后向目击者展示阵容并要求找出罪犯。 在阵容之间进行比较，其中包括被选择为（a）与嫌疑人相似，（b）与目击者对罪犯的描述相匹配，或（c）与描述相匹配并最大化有利方差的干扰者。 将在每个实验中评估置信度-准确度关系，并期望当有利方差较高时该关系会更强。 这项研究对于增进对目击者识别过程的基本理解具有理论价值。 从实践的角度来看，对排队程序动态的了解可以提高刑事案件司法的质量和效率。 最后，在认知心理学领域，该研究将阐明与认知记忆相关的理论问题。

Sociolegal scholars have devoted considerable attention to research in the area of eyewitness evidence and identification in recent years. Although significant advances have been made in the scientific identification from lineups and photospreads, all progress has been of one form, namely reducing the likelihood of false identification without affecting adversely the likelihood of correct identifications (hits). The selection of distracters so as to meet functional or effective-size requirements has been a major tool for reducing false identification rates. This project follows on the recent theoretical argument that, depending on the strategy used to select distracters, two lineups of equal functional or effective size can have different amounts of propitious (beneficial) heterogeneity with the result of having strikingly different hit rates. It is argued from theory and pilot data that implementing ways of maximizing the variance between the suspect and the distractors can improve the hit rates so that witnesses are more likely to correctly identify the suspect. Three experiments are designed to fully test the propitious heterogeneity idea for improving hit rates without inflating false identification rates. The experiments follow a basic format in which crimes are staged for unsuspecting witnesses who later are presented with a lineup and asked to identify the culprit. Comparisons are made between lineups that include distracters who were chosen to (a) resemble the suspect, (b) match the eyewitness's description of the culprit, or (c) match the description plus maximize the propitious variance. A confidence-accuracy relation will be assessed in each experiment with the expectation that the relation will be stronger when propitious variance is high. This research has theoretical value in advancing basic understanding of the process of eyewitness identification. From a practical standpoint, such knowledge about the dynamics of lineup procedures could lead to increased quality and efficiency by which justice is administered in criminal cases. Finally, in the area of cognitive psychology, the study will illuminate theoretical issues associated with recognition memory.