The cognitive processes and decision-making strategies of eyewitnesses were tested for their predictive qualities in determining the accuracy of identi®cations from lineups. The sequential lineup presentation was compared with the traditionally employed simultaneous lineup under culprit (target) present and culprit absent conditions. Consistent with previous research the sequential presentation resulted in an equivalent number of correct identi®cations compared to the simultaneous lineup but reduced false identi®cation rates. Although sequential lineups were found to be associated with the use of absolute strategies, those shown a simultaneous lineup reported the use of both relative and absolute strategies. Accurate identi®cations and rejections were found to be associated with the use of absolute strategies, irrespective of lineup presentation or presence of target. Also accurate identi®cations, at least with a sequential lineup, were generally made faster than inaccurate identi®cations. These results are compared to previous studies with respect to the effect that mode of processing (relative versus absolute judgements) has on a witness's decision making and identi®cation accuracy.

In an assessment of the Alcohol Myopia Theory, this research investigated the effects of alcohol on an eyewitness's recall of high and low salience details. In Study 1, participants watched a staged videoed theft in a laboratory whilst either sober (control or placebo), above (MBAC = 0.09%) or below (MBAC = 0.06%) the UK drink-drive limit. A week later a free recall and recognition test were completed. These levels of intoxication were not found to reduce the accuracy of an individual's recall using either recall task. In Study 2, while on a night out participants watched the videoed theft with either high (MBAC = 0.14%) or low (MBAC = 0.05%) levels of intoxication. A week later the free recall and recognition test were attempted. High levels of intoxication were seen to impair recall when memory was assessed through free recall but not with the recognition test. Neither study however found the narrowing of attention predicted by Alcohol Myopia Theory using either the recognition test or free recall, although poor recall for peripheral details in all groups may have contributed to this result. The findings of this research are discussed in terms of their real world value and the path of future research.Intoxicated witness recall 2

This study tests the claim that alcohol intoxication narrows the focus of visual attention on to the more salient features of a visual scene. A group of alcohol intoxicated and sober participants had their eye movements recorded as they encoded a photographic image featuring a central event of either high or low salience. All participants then recalled the details of the image the following day when sober. We sought to determine whether the alcohol group would pay less attention to the peripheral features of the encoded scene than their sober counterparts, whether this effect of attentional narrowing was stronger for the high-salience event than for the low-salience event, and whether it would lead to a corresponding deficit in peripheral recall. Alcohol was found to narrow the focus of foveal attention to the central features of both images but did not facilitate recall from this region. It also reduced the overall amount of information accurately recalled from each scene. These findings demonstrate that the concept of alcohol myopia originally posited to explain the social consequences of intoxication (Steele& Josephs, 1990) may be extended to explain the relative neglect of peripheral information during the processing of visual scenes.

No abstract

Alcohol is a contributing factor in many crimes, yet little is known of its effects on eyewitness memory and face identification. Some authors suggest that intoxication impairs attention and memory, particularly for peripheral scene information, but the data supporting this claim are limited. The present study therefore sought to determine whether (i) intoxicated participants spend less time fixating on peripheral regions of crime images than sober counterparts, (ii) whether less information is recognised from image regions receiving fewer gaze fixations and (iii) whether intoxicated participants are less able to identify the perpetrator of a crime than sober participants. Contrary to expectations, participants' ability to explore and subsequently recognise the contents of the stimulus scenes was unaffected by alcohol, suggesting that the relationship between intoxication, attention and eyewitness memory requires closer scrutiny.